tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34677554625634500852017-08-15T17:48:11.076-07:00His and Her HobbiesA husband and wife's blog about interests, hobbies, and life in general.Amanda Ironmongerhttps://plus.google.com/105180898490828929549noreply@blogger.comBlogger549125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3467755462563450085.post-33887681762862568822016-10-30T17:26:00.000-07:002016-10-30T18:37:34.827-07:00Pumpkin Carving Contest<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://scontent-iad3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/14937475_10209717994458569_808336365914522933_n.jpg?oh=2e9cce87f3d2f0f8b26eabe3a8c44ac9&amp;oe=588DDA82" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://scontent-iad3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/14937475_10209717994458569_808336365914522933_n.jpg?oh=2e9cce87f3d2f0f8b26eabe3a8c44ac9&amp;oe=588DDA82" width="320" /></a></div><span style="color: red; font-family: &quot;trebuchet ms&quot; , sans-serif;">My office has 3 separate contests for Halloween&nbsp;this year including a pumpkin carving contest. They provided the pumpkins on Friday which gave us the weekend to come up with our best creations. I am not very experienced carver as I have only carved one or two pumpkins before.&nbsp;</span><br /><span style="color: red; font-family: &quot;trebuchet ms&quot; , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="color: red; font-family: &quot;trebuchet ms&quot; , sans-serif;">I have a tendency&nbsp;to get too ambitious when it comes to art so I wanted to do something that looked good but I was able to finish this weekend. I looked at the internet for inspiration and came across a webpage where someone had turned a pumpkin into a burger and fries. It looked easy enough and it was different so I decided to give it a try.</span><br /><span style="color: red; font-family: &quot;trebuchet ms&quot; , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="color: red; font-family: &quot;trebuchet ms&quot; , sans-serif;">The whole thing is made from pumpkin. The "sesame seeds" are pumpkin seeds from the middle of the pumpkin and the fries are made from part of the pumpkin. The only thing that isn't pumpkin on the finished platter is the glue holding the seeds and the acrylic paint.&nbsp;</span><br /><span style="color: red; font-family: &quot;trebuchet ms&quot; , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="color: red; font-family: &quot;trebuchet ms&quot; , sans-serif;">If you want to see the step by step instructions that I followed <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/carve-a-pumpkin-to-look-like-a-cheesburger-2015-10?_ga=1.39220323.1578613937.1477855756" target="_blank">click here</a>. Judging is tomorrow&nbsp;and I'm interested to how this stacks up against the other pumpkins in the contest.&nbsp;</span><br /><span style="color: red; font-family: &quot;trebuchet ms&quot; , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="color: red; font-family: &quot;trebuchet ms&quot; , sans-serif;">What do you normally do for Halloween?</span><br /><span style="color: red; font-family: &quot;trebuchet ms&quot; , sans-serif;"><br /></span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3FY6ZC3nrdQ/T7lxRBX02SI/AAAAAAAAAAk/VnRoTdqENOsPkI6INB3R427t30y7jvgvACPcB/s1600/Sean%2BSig%2Bfor%2BBlog.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3FY6ZC3nrdQ/T7lxRBX02SI/AAAAAAAAAAk/VnRoTdqENOsPkI6INB3R427t30y7jvgvACPcB/s1600/Sean%2BSig%2Bfor%2BBlog.png" /></a></div><span style="color: red; font-family: &quot;trebuchet ms&quot; , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="color: red; font-family: &quot;trebuchet ms&quot; , sans-serif;">&nbsp;&nbsp;</span>Sean @ His And Her Hobbieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02957976361757525524noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3467755462563450085.post-61929118082516871472016-04-08T18:00:00.003-07:002016-04-08T18:00:33.642-07:00G is for gratuities<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-rW4iBubC9eo/VsOnlrliPBI/AAAAAAAAWak/JinEI0S5qHk/s1600/G.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-rW4iBubC9eo/VsOnlrliPBI/AAAAAAAAWak/JinEI0S5qHk/s1600/G.jpg" /></a></div><br /><span style="color: red; font-family: &quot;trebuchet ms&quot; , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="color: red; font-family: &quot;trebuchet ms&quot; , sans-serif;">It's April so we are joining thousands of other bloggers and are participating in the A-Z challenge. For the A-Z challenge this year our theme is "the A-Z of cruising" where we will provide some hints and knowledge about cruising on the open&nbsp;</span><span style="color: red; font-family: &quot;trebuchet ms&quot; , sans-serif;">ocean. If you missed any of our previous posts check out the links at the end of the post.</span><br /><span style="color: red; font-family: &quot;trebuchet ms&quot; , sans-serif;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HJlQi7xs3CM/VwhPeSl4_CI/AAAAAAAADJs/Fjus5GWBFZgElr2VBvqEBzkbWVeNcjmrg/s1600/IMGP0424.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="182" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HJlQi7xs3CM/VwhPeSl4_CI/AAAAAAAADJs/Fjus5GWBFZgElr2VBvqEBzkbWVeNcjmrg/s320/IMGP0424.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><span style="color: red; font-family: trebuchet ms, sans-serif;">One expense that is not included on your cruise ticket is gratuities. Most cruise lines will add this to your onboard bill and it varies from $12-15 per person per day. This amount is split between your room steward, dining room wait staff and other staff. Many of these people work extremely hard and long hours and depend on tips to earn a decent living. You do receive great service while on board and is well worth the money you tip and you have the option to change the amount you tip if desired. Having it billed and paid in one spot is&nbsp;convenient and saves you from have to have cash to tip at each meal or leave for your room steward each day.&nbsp;</span><br /><span style="color: red; font-family: trebuchet ms, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="color: red; font-family: trebuchet ms, sans-serif;">When buying beverages there is an automatic 15% gratuity added to the bill. You have the option to leave more if you want.&nbsp;</span><br /><span style="color: red; font-family: trebuchet ms, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="color: red; font-family: trebuchet ms, sans-serif;">That's pretty much it for tipping on board. Come back tomorrow to learn more about how to pay for items on board.</span><br /><span style="color: red; font-family: trebuchet ms, sans-serif;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3FY6ZC3nrdQ/T7lxRBX02SI/AAAAAAAAAAk/xySoGFmKb5E7o9P_WXDMP2h2D1RUAUbBg/s1600/Sean%2BSig%2Bfor%2BBlog.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3FY6ZC3nrdQ/T7lxRBX02SI/AAAAAAAAAAk/xySoGFmKb5E7o9P_WXDMP2h2D1RUAUbBg/s1600/Sean%2BSig%2Bfor%2BBlog.png" /></a></div><span style="color: red; font-family: trebuchet ms, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="color: red; font-family: &quot;trebuchet ms&quot; , sans-serif;"><br /></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: red; font-family: &quot;trebuchet ms&quot; , sans-serif;">Missed one or more of our A-Z of cruising posts? Catch up by clicking on the links below:</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: red; font-family: &quot;trebuchet ms&quot; , sans-serif;"><a href="http://hisandherhobbies.blogspot.com/2016/04/a-is-for-airport-or-drive-to-port.html" target="_blank">A is for Airport or drive to the port</a></span></div><span style="color: red; font-family: &quot;trebuchet ms&quot; , sans-serif;"></span><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: red; font-family: &quot;trebuchet ms&quot; , sans-serif;"><a href="http://hisandherhobbies.blogspot.com/2016/04/b-is-for-best-time-to-sail.html" target="_blank">B is for Best time to book your cruise</a></span><br /><span style="font-family: &quot;trebuchet ms&quot; , sans-serif;"><a href="http://hisandherhobbies.blogspot.com/2016/04/c-is-cabin-selection.html" target="_blank">C is for Choosing a Cabin</a></span><br /><a href="http://hisandherhobbies.blogspot.com/2016/04/d-is-for-dining-options.html" target="_blank">D is for Dining Options</a><br /><a href="http://hisandherhobbies.blogspot.com/2016/04/e-is-for-extras.html" target="_blank">E is for Extras</a><br /><a href="http://hisandherhobbies.blogspot.com/2016/04/f-is-for-fun-day-at-sea.html" target="_blank">F is for Fun Day At Sea</a></div>Sean @ His And Her Hobbieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02957976361757525524noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3467755462563450085.post-59444135661976755202016-04-08T17:32:00.001-07:002016-04-08T17:36:40.234-07:00F is for Fun Day at Sea<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.a-to-zchallenge.com/" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-bwtYyDDCPQc/VsOnlqQIrQI/AAAAAAAAWag/oKhn7jORstM/s1600/F.jpg" /></a></div><br /><br /><span style="color: red; font-family: &quot;trebuchet ms&quot; , sans-serif;">It's April so we are joining thousands of other bloggers and are participating in the A-Z challenge. For the A-Z challenge this year our theme is "the A-Z of cruising" where we will provide some hints and knowledge about cruising on the open&nbsp;</span><span style="color: red; font-family: &quot;trebuchet ms&quot; , sans-serif;">ocean. If you missed any of our previous posts check out the links at the end of the post.</span><br /><span style="color: red; font-family: &quot;trebuchet ms&quot; , sans-serif;"><br /></span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-IvfOxtc5lR0/VwhLiXBTU7I/AAAAAAAADJg/6i5Tm40yrUMfFMfK7CbYaq47uuGvgcscQ/s1600/052%2BGlory%2BOn%2Bthe%2BGreen%2BSports%2BBar.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-IvfOxtc5lR0/VwhLiXBTU7I/AAAAAAAADJg/6i5Tm40yrUMfFMfK7CbYaq47uuGvgcscQ/s320/052%2BGlory%2BOn%2Bthe%2BGreen%2BSports%2BBar.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><span style="color: red; font-family: &quot;trebuchet ms&quot; , sans-serif;">Many cruise itineraries include at least one fun day at sea. This may sound boring at first but that is not the case. Each ship has a cruise director and a staff that arranges a ton of activities to keep you from getting bored while at sea.</span><br /><span style="color: red; font-family: &quot;trebuchet ms&quot; , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="color: red; font-family: &quot;trebuchet ms&quot; , sans-serif;">Around dinner time your room steward will deliver the activity sheet for the following day. For days where there is no port call there is several activities planned for each hour throughout the day. There is something for every taste from trivia contests, belly flop competitions on the pool deck, art auctions and much much more.</span><br /><span style="color: red; font-family: &quot;trebuchet ms&quot; , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="color: red; font-family: &quot;trebuchet ms&quot; , sans-serif;">At night there is always something to do. There are shows in the main theater, comedy shows, game shows and plenty of clubs and bars to meet and dance with your friends. If you want something more low key there is lounging on the pool decks or finding a nice quiet corner to read and people watch. There is always something to do so being bored at sea should not be an issue.</span><span style="color: red; font-family: &quot;trebuchet ms&quot; , sans-serif;">&nbsp;</span><br /><span style="color: red; font-family: &quot;trebuchet ms&quot; , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="color: red; font-family: &quot;trebuchet ms&quot; , sans-serif;">Would you prefer to have a relaxed lazy day at sea or take in as many of the activities as possible?</span><br /><span style="color: red; font-family: &quot;trebuchet ms&quot; , sans-serif;"><br /></span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3FY6ZC3nrdQ/T7lxRBX02SI/AAAAAAAAAAk/xySoGFmKb5E7o9P_WXDMP2h2D1RUAUbBg/s1600/Sean%2BSig%2Bfor%2BBlog.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3FY6ZC3nrdQ/T7lxRBX02SI/AAAAAAAAAAk/xySoGFmKb5E7o9P_WXDMP2h2D1RUAUbBg/s1600/Sean%2BSig%2Bfor%2BBlog.png" /></a></div><span style="color: red; font-family: &quot;trebuchet ms&quot; , sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: red; font-family: &quot;trebuchet ms&quot; , sans-serif;">Missed one or more of our A-Z of cruising posts? Catch up by clicking on the links below:</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: red; font-family: &quot;trebuchet ms&quot; , sans-serif;"><a href="http://hisandherhobbies.blogspot.com/2016/04/a-is-for-airport-or-drive-to-port.html" target="_blank">A is for Airport or drive to the port</a></span></div><span style="color: red; font-family: &quot;trebuchet ms&quot; , sans-serif;"></span><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: red; font-family: &quot;trebuchet ms&quot; , sans-serif;"><a href="http://hisandherhobbies.blogspot.com/2016/04/b-is-for-best-time-to-sail.html" target="_blank">B is for Best time to book your cruise</a></span><br /><span style="font-family: &quot;trebuchet ms&quot; , sans-serif;"><a href="http://hisandherhobbies.blogspot.com/2016/04/c-is-cabin-selection.html" target="_blank">C is for Choosing a Cabin</a></span><br /><a href="http://hisandherhobbies.blogspot.com/2016/04/d-is-for-dining-options.html" target="_blank">D is for Dining Options</a><br /><a href="http://hisandherhobbies.blogspot.com/2016/04/e-is-for-extras.html" target="_blank">E is for Extras</a></div>Sean @ His And Her Hobbieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02957976361757525524noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3467755462563450085.post-67897042237933045412016-04-06T17:22:00.001-07:002016-04-06T17:22:21.869-07:00E is for Extras<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mnXvaRyVk8M/VsOnlY8viNI/AAAAAAAAWac/z0aV_-BUlyw/s1600/E.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mnXvaRyVk8M/VsOnlY8viNI/AAAAAAAAWac/z0aV_-BUlyw/s1600/E.jpg" /></a></div><span style="color: red; font-family: &quot;trebuchet ms&quot; , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="color: red; font-family: &quot;trebuchet ms&quot; , sans-serif;">It's April so we are joining thousands of other bloggers and are participating in the A-Z challenge. For the A-Z challenge this year our theme is "the A-Z of cruising" where we will provide some hints and knowledge about cruising on the open&nbsp;</span><span style="color: red; font-family: &quot;trebuchet ms&quot; , sans-serif;">ocean. If you missed any of our previous posts check out the links at the end of the post.</span><br /><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-UkIju8x5NKw/VwWlMO7QYtI/AAAAAAAADI4/0Nq3MZRFi4Q5erVYKytclK-bEOkEOxc1g/s1600/IMGP0021.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-UkIju8x5NKw/VwWlMO7QYtI/AAAAAAAADI4/0Nq3MZRFi4Q5erVYKytclK-bEOkEOxc1g/s320/IMGP0021.JPG" width="213" /></a><span style="color: red; font-family: &quot;trebuchet ms&quot; , sans-serif;"><br /></span><br /><span style="color: red; font-family: &quot;trebuchet ms&quot; , sans-serif;">Cruises are marketed as an inclusive vacation but there are things that will cost extra. Here are some of the more common items.</span><br /><span style="color: red; font-family: &quot;trebuchet ms&quot; , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="color: red; font-family: &quot;trebuchet ms&quot; , sans-serif;"><b>Specialty Restaurants: </b>The main dining room and buffet are included in your cruise fare but there are specialty restaurants on many ships that offer a more fine dining experience and offer a different range of foods not found in the regular dining room. Costs are per person and costs between $25-40 per person. If you are looking for a special dining experience on board this is a great way to do it.</span><br /><span style="color: red; font-family: &quot;trebuchet ms&quot; , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="color: red; font-family: &quot;trebuchet ms&quot; , sans-serif;"><b>Drinks: </b>As you would expect alcoholic drinks are not free or cheap on board but any beverage that is not tap water normally attracts a charge. Most ships offer a soda package that allows unlimited soda refills for about $8-10 per day.</span><br /><span style="color: red; font-family: &quot;trebuchet ms&quot; , sans-serif;"><br /></span><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-UiOY5uP5CJg/VwWmbcCN99I/AAAAAAAADJE/YtZnevpsgS4rgMHcJ26Fal_j0E0BJ5-Cg/s1600/IMGP0143.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-UiOY5uP5CJg/VwWmbcCN99I/AAAAAAAADJE/YtZnevpsgS4rgMHcJ26Fal_j0E0BJ5-Cg/s320/IMGP0143.JPG" width="320" /></a><span style="color: red; font-family: &quot;trebuchet ms&quot; , sans-serif;"><b>Spa treatments: </b>Most ships offer a spa and is a great way to unwind. The treatments on offer vary in price but are about what you would pay on land. They sometimes run specials while the ship is in port.</span><br /><span style="color: red; font-family: &quot;trebuchet ms&quot; , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="color: red; font-family: &quot;trebuchet ms&quot; , sans-serif;"><b>Shore Excursions: </b>Some river cruises in Europe include this in their fares but for most other ships shore excursions are offered but are at your own cost. Prices can range from $40 to over $400 depending on the experience you book.&nbsp;</span><br /><span style="color: red; font-family: &quot;trebuchet ms&quot; , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="color: red; font-family: &quot;trebuchet ms&quot; , sans-serif;"><b>Snacks on board: </b>Many ships have specialty coffee cafe, burger bars etc that attract a nominal cost. If they ask for your room card when ordering then it is going to cost.</span><br /><span style="color: red; font-family: &quot;trebuchet ms&quot; , sans-serif;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-bAMSFxRObKw/VwWnMyBY4vI/AAAAAAAADJI/MvwS_GI_34wpCELcIUpivyyNBwtUbCi1w/s1600/044%2BGlory%2BCamel%2BClub%2BCasino.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-bAMSFxRObKw/VwWnMyBY4vI/AAAAAAAADJI/MvwS_GI_34wpCELcIUpivyyNBwtUbCi1w/s320/044%2BGlory%2BCamel%2BClub%2BCasino.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><span style="color: red; font-family: trebuchet ms, sans-serif;"><b>Casino: </b>The casino offers entertainment and the chance to win big money but can quite easily take it as well. Most ships have a casino and usually offer a range of slot machines and table games. Disney Cruise Lines do not have casinos.</span><br /><span style="color: red; font-family: trebuchet ms, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="color: red; font-family: trebuchet ms, sans-serif;"><b>Classes: </b>During days at sea some ships offer different classes ranging from pottery to scrapbooking. Some classes are free like the photography class we took but others cost. The daily guide will let you know if there is a cost.</span><br /><span style="color: red; font-family: trebuchet ms, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="color: red; font-family: trebuchet ms, sans-serif;">Even though there are extra costs on board you are not required to purchase any of them. Which ones, if any are your choice and its up to you to decide the value of each optional extra.</span><br /><span style="color: red; font-family: &quot;trebuchet ms&quot; , sans-serif;"><br /></span><br /><span style="color: red; font-family: &quot;trebuchet ms&quot; , sans-serif;">Come back tomorrow to learn about some of the things you can do while at sea.</span><br /><span style="color: red; font-family: &quot;trebuchet ms&quot; , sans-serif;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3FY6ZC3nrdQ/T7lxRBX02SI/AAAAAAAAAAk/xySoGFmKb5E7o9P_WXDMP2h2D1RUAUbBg/s1600/Sean%2BSig%2Bfor%2BBlog.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3FY6ZC3nrdQ/T7lxRBX02SI/AAAAAAAAAAk/xySoGFmKb5E7o9P_WXDMP2h2D1RUAUbBg/s1600/Sean%2BSig%2Bfor%2BBlog.png" /></a></div><span style="color: red; font-family: &quot;trebuchet ms&quot; , sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: red; font-family: &quot;trebuchet ms&quot; , sans-serif;">Missed one or more of our A-Z of cruising posts? Catch up by clicking on the links below:</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: red; font-family: &quot;trebuchet ms&quot; , sans-serif;"><a href="http://hisandherhobbies.blogspot.com/2016/04/a-is-for-airport-or-drive-to-port.html" target="_blank">A is for Airport or drive to the port</a></span></div><span style="color: red; font-family: &quot;trebuchet ms&quot; , sans-serif;"></span><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: red; font-family: &quot;trebuchet ms&quot; , sans-serif;"><a href="http://hisandherhobbies.blogspot.com/2016/04/b-is-for-best-time-to-sail.html" target="_blank">B is for Best time to book your cruise</a></span><br /><span style="font-family: &quot;trebuchet ms&quot; , sans-serif;"><a href="http://hisandherhobbies.blogspot.com/2016/04/c-is-cabin-selection.html" target="_blank">C is for Choosing a Cabin</a></span><br /><a href="http://hisandherhobbies.blogspot.com/2016/04/d-is-for-dining-options.html" target="_blank">D is for Dining Options</a></div>Sean @ His And Her Hobbieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02957976361757525524noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3467755462563450085.post-31028171303091058632016-04-05T16:54:00.000-07:002016-04-05T16:54:08.134-07:00D is for Dining Options<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.a-to-zchallenge.com/" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-nO8CKbbjGI0/VsOnlc1qP6I/AAAAAAAAWaU/YmKYvVDH234/s1600/D.jpg" /></a></div><br /><span style="color: red; font-family: &quot;trebuchet ms&quot; , sans-serif;">It's April so we are joining thousands of other bloggers and are participating in the A-Z challenge. For the A-Z challenge this year our theme is "the A-Z of cruising" where we will provide some hints and knowledge about cruising on the open&nbsp;</span><span style="color: red; font-family: &quot;trebuchet ms&quot; , sans-serif;">ocean. If you missed any of our previous posts check out the links at the end of the post.</span><br /><span style="color: red; font-family: &quot;trebuchet ms&quot; , sans-serif;"><br /></span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-lUOUfd-fJ-c/VwMNIIViaYI/AAAAAAAADIY/wIve0P5wCwIDY1RJSM8x2f1cyutpn2ngg/s1600/024%2BGlory%2BBuffet.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-lUOUfd-fJ-c/VwMNIIViaYI/AAAAAAAADIY/wIve0P5wCwIDY1RJSM8x2f1cyutpn2ngg/s320/024%2BGlory%2BBuffet.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><span style="color: red; font-family: &quot;trebuchet ms&quot; , sans-serif;"><b>D is for Dining Options:&nbsp;</b></span><br /><span style="color: red; font-family: trebuchet ms, sans-serif;">Today we go over the various option on board to fill your belly with yummy food while on board.</span><br /><span style="color: red; font-family: &quot;trebuchet ms&quot; , sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span><span style="color: red; font-family: &quot;trebuchet ms&quot; , sans-serif;">Included in your cruise fare is a wide option of dining options that will ensure you will not go hungry whilst onboard.&nbsp;</span><br /><span style="color: red; font-family: &quot;trebuchet ms&quot; , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="color: red; font-family: &quot;trebuchet ms&quot; , sans-serif;"><b>Breakfast and Lunch: </b>Most cruise lines offer breakfast in the main dining rooms and the buffet. Lunch is served in the buffet and other locations on some ships.</span><br /><span style="color: red; font-family: &quot;trebuchet ms&quot; , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="color: red; font-family: &quot;trebuchet ms&quot; , sans-serif;"><b>Dinner: </b>When booking your cruise you will be asked for your dining time for dinner. There is usually two times offered and you can choose which one works best for you and your party. Many cruise lines now offer anytime dining where you can show up at any time you like. There is sometimes wait for a table just like at any land based restaurant but we rarely waited more than 5 minutes. If you choose anytime dining you will likely be put at a table with random people but we found this a great way to find new friends.</span><br /><span style="color: red; font-family: &quot;trebuchet ms&quot; , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="color: red; font-family: &quot;trebuchet ms&quot; , sans-serif;">The buffet also offers dinner service so that is always an option if you miss your assigned dining time or don't feel like going to the dining room that night. You can also order room service if you want. Some cruise lines offer this for free and others are charging a nominal fee.</span><br /><span style="color: red; font-family: &quot;trebuchet ms&quot; , sans-serif;"><br /></span><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-kg04AM-Says/VwRP3_f0lyI/AAAAAAAADIo/H-QYzDABRZI5HGlCioJfGP3xTxQFuoULQ/s1600/054%2BGlory%2BDining%2BRoom.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-kg04AM-Says/VwRP3_f0lyI/AAAAAAAADIo/H-QYzDABRZI5HGlCioJfGP3xTxQFuoULQ/s320/054%2BGlory%2BDining%2BRoom.JPG" width="320" /></a><span style="color: red; font-family: &quot;trebuchet ms&quot; , sans-serif;">Between meals there are other options, usually a bakery, softserve icecream, pizzeria or a reduced menu in the buffet depending on the ship so you will never go hungry.</span><br /><span style="color: red; font-family: &quot;trebuchet ms&quot; , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="color: red; font-family: &quot;trebuchet ms&quot; , sans-serif;">Most meal offerings included in your cruise fare but there are some exceptions, however we will talk about that in tomorrow's post.&nbsp;</span><br /><span style="color: red; font-family: &quot;trebuchet ms&quot; , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="color: red; font-family: &quot;trebuchet ms&quot; , sans-serif;">This is just a brief overview of the offerings onboard. Exact offerings will vary from ship to ship but they are all fairly similar.&nbsp;</span><br /><span style="color: red; font-family: &quot;trebuchet ms&quot; , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="color: red; font-family: &quot;trebuchet ms&quot; , sans-serif;">Come back tomorrow to learn about what isn't included in your cruise fare.</span><br /><span style="color: red; font-family: &quot;trebuchet ms&quot; , sans-serif;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3FY6ZC3nrdQ/T7lxRBX02SI/AAAAAAAAAAk/xySoGFmKb5E7o9P_WXDMP2h2D1RUAUbBg/s1600/Sean%2BSig%2Bfor%2BBlog.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3FY6ZC3nrdQ/T7lxRBX02SI/AAAAAAAAAAk/xySoGFmKb5E7o9P_WXDMP2h2D1RUAUbBg/s1600/Sean%2BSig%2Bfor%2BBlog.png" /></a></div><span style="color: red; font-family: &quot;trebuchet ms&quot; , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="color: red; font-family: &quot;trebuchet ms&quot; , sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span><span style="color: red; font-family: &quot;trebuchet ms&quot; , sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: red; font-family: &quot;trebuchet ms&quot; , sans-serif;">Missed one or more of our A-Z of cruising posts? Catch up by clicking on the links below:</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: red; font-family: &quot;trebuchet ms&quot; , sans-serif;"><a href="http://hisandherhobbies.blogspot.com/2016/04/a-is-for-airport-or-drive-to-port.html" target="_blank">A is for Airport or drive to the port</a></span></div><span style="color: red; font-family: &quot;trebuchet ms&quot; , sans-serif;"></span><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: red; font-family: &quot;trebuchet ms&quot; , sans-serif;"><a href="http://hisandherhobbies.blogspot.com/2016/04/b-is-for-best-time-to-sail.html" target="_blank">B is for Best time to book your cruise</a></span><br /><span style="font-family: &quot;trebuchet ms&quot; , sans-serif;"><a href="http://hisandherhobbies.blogspot.com/2016/04/c-is-cabin-selection.html" target="_blank">C is for Choosing a Cabin</a></span></div>Sean @ His And Her Hobbieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02957976361757525524noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3467755462563450085.post-8414674138867826422016-04-04T17:46:00.003-07:002016-04-04T18:00:39.522-07:00C is for Cabin <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.a-to-zchallenge.com/" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hWZu1zhAW3k/VsOnlBDX6UI/AAAAAAAAWaY/lvTzy3xq_a8/s1600/C.jpg" /></a></div><br /><span style="color: red; font-family: &quot;trebuchet ms&quot; , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="color: red; font-family: &quot;trebuchet ms&quot; , sans-serif;">It's April so we are joining thousands of other bloggers and are participating in the A-Z challenge. For the A-Z challenge this year our theme is "the A-Z of cruising" where we will provide some hints and knowledge about cruising on the open&nbsp;</span><span style="color: red; font-family: &quot;trebuchet ms&quot; , sans-serif;">ocean. If you missed any of our previous posts check out the links at the end of the post.</span><br /><span style="color: red; font-family: &quot;trebuchet ms&quot; , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="color: red; font-family: &quot;trebuchet ms&quot; , sans-serif;"><b>C is for Cabin:&nbsp;</b>Today we talk about one of the most important decisions you can make on your cruise vacation, your cabin. This will be your home for the duration of the cruise and they vary in size and price. Below is a quick guide.&nbsp;</span><br /><span style="color: red; font-family: &quot;trebuchet ms&quot; , sans-serif;"><br /></span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-mZtDkbmdo6w/VwMC5tLdh7I/AAAAAAAADH8/hWvdaZsrIc0RTWRWUN6TeSOLMFvByOqhg/s1600/191%2BMonkey%2BTowel%2BAnimal.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-mZtDkbmdo6w/VwMC5tLdh7I/AAAAAAAADH8/hWvdaZsrIc0RTWRWUN6TeSOLMFvByOqhg/s320/191%2BMonkey%2BTowel%2BAnimal.JPG" width="213" /></a></div><span style="color: red; font-family: &quot;trebuchet ms&quot; , sans-serif;"><b>Interior: </b>Interior cabins are usually the cheapest rooms on the ship. They do not have a port hole or window, but some ships offer a virtual porthole. They are usually the smallest cabins on the ship but on many ships are the same size as an oceanview cabin. Many people don't spend a lot of time in their cabin and find this an attractive option to stretch their vacation dollar. We have chosen interior cabins on all 3 of our cruises and have enjoyed them.</span><br /><span style="color: red; font-family: &quot;trebuchet ms&quot; , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="color: red; font-family: &quot;trebuchet ms&quot; , sans-serif;"><b>Oceanview: </b>Oceanview cabins are usually the same size and layout as an interior room but have a port hole or window. These cabins are more expensive than interior but less than a balcony or suite.</span><br /><span style="color: red; font-family: &quot;trebuchet ms&quot; , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="color: red; font-family: &quot;trebuchet ms&quot; , sans-serif;"><b>Balcony: </b>Balcony cabins are sometimes a little bigger than an interior or oceanview but offer a balcony as well making the overall space significantly larger. Some ships's balconies are fairly private where as others make you feel very close to your neighbours.</span><br /><span style="color: red; font-family: &quot;trebuchet ms&quot; , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="color: red; font-family: &quot;trebuchet ms&quot; , sans-serif;"><b>Suites: </b>These are the largest and most expensive cabins on the ship. There are usually mini suites which are about twice the size of the other cabins and full suites that are larger still. Suites come with perks and offer privacy but come at a hefty premium.</span><br /><span style="color: red; font-family: &quot;trebuchet ms&quot; , sans-serif;"><br /></span><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-WORJzWLGVoM/VwMI9Uriu5I/AAAAAAAADIM/DkjD5BbqIfYhZyNj4xB7CvwIefTsz7elQ/s1600/164%2BAtlantic%2BOcean.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-WORJzWLGVoM/VwMI9Uriu5I/AAAAAAAADIM/DkjD5BbqIfYhZyNj4xB7CvwIefTsz7elQ/s320/164%2BAtlantic%2BOcean.JPG" width="320" /></a><span style="color: red; font-family: &quot;trebuchet ms&quot; , sans-serif;">When booking your cabin type keep in mind there are varying prices based on the deck it is located on. Generally the higher the deck, the higher the cost. Most people choose to select their own cabin when booking although you can choose to let the cruise line pick the cabin for you in what they call a "cabin guarantee" In exchange for letting them pick the cabin (and potentially getting the room underneath the night club) you can get upgraded to a better category. Take some time to ensure you aren't going to be underneath or directly above the nightclubs or bars unless you are a nightowl. You can look at the deck plans to see what is above and below your potential vacation home. There are usually 3 decks of nothing but cabins and I like to get a cabin in that middle floor. It costs a little more but its worth it to get a good night's sleep.</span><br /><span style="color: red; font-family: &quot;trebuchet ms&quot; , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="color: red; font-family: &quot;trebuchet ms&quot; , sans-serif;">Which cabin is best for you is a personal decision but hopefully this guide helps out a bit. If you have questions ask someone who has cruised before or leave a comment. Which cabin category would you purchase if booking a cruise?</span><br /><span style="color: red; font-family: &quot;trebuchet ms&quot; , sans-serif;"><br /></span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3FY6ZC3nrdQ/T7lxRBX02SI/AAAAAAAAAAk/xySoGFmKb5E7o9P_WXDMP2h2D1RUAUbBg/s1600/Sean%2BSig%2Bfor%2BBlog.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3FY6ZC3nrdQ/T7lxRBX02SI/AAAAAAAAAAk/xySoGFmKb5E7o9P_WXDMP2h2D1RUAUbBg/s1600/Sean%2BSig%2Bfor%2BBlog.png" /></a></div><span style="color: red; font-family: &quot;trebuchet ms&quot; , sans-serif;"><br /></span><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: red; font-family: &quot;trebuchet ms&quot; , sans-serif;">Missed one or more of our A-Z of cruising posts? Catch up by clicking on the links below:</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: red; font-family: &quot;trebuchet ms&quot; , sans-serif;"><a href="http://hisandherhobbies.blogspot.com/2016/04/a-is-for-airport-or-drive-to-port.html" target="_blank">A is for Airport or drive to the port</a></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: red; font-family: &quot;trebuchet ms&quot; , sans-serif;"><a href="http://hisandherhobbies.blogspot.com/2016/04/b-is-for-best-time-to-sail.html" target="_blank">B is for Best time to book your cruise</a></span></div><span style="color: red; font-family: &quot;trebuchet ms&quot; , sans-serif;"><br /></span>Sean @ His And Her Hobbieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02957976361757525524noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3467755462563450085.post-65290695042140609942016-04-02T06:18:00.000-07:002016-04-02T06:18:38.149-07:00B is for Best time to Sail<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.a-to-zchallenge.com/" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-KSghbT3HqLk/VsOnlOyuUJI/AAAAAAAAWaM/UsiIs9JxlF4/s1600/B.jpg" /></a></div><br /><span style="color: red; font-family: &quot;trebuchet ms&quot; , sans-serif;">It's April so we are joining thousands of other bloggers and are participating in the A-Z challenge. For the A-Z challenge this year our theme is "the A-Z of cruising" where we will provide some hints and knowledge about cruising on the open&nbsp;</span><span style="color: red; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', sans-serif;">ocean. Yesterday we discussed the different ways to get to the port. <a href="http://hisandherhobbies.blogspot.com/2016/04/a-is-for-airport-or-drive-to-port.html" target="_blank">Click here</a> to see that post and catch up</span><br /><span style="color: red; font-family: &quot;trebuchet ms&quot; , sans-serif;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-4pogAfZMW8Q/Vv-_PUIKS_I/AAAAAAAADHc/fijqMfxeW5MtYMmmgmUEbPPUD3LWNJ3-g/s1600/132%2BSunset%2BOver%2BAtlantic.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-4pogAfZMW8Q/Vv-_PUIKS_I/AAAAAAAADHc/fijqMfxeW5MtYMmmgmUEbPPUD3LWNJ3-g/s320/132%2BSunset%2BOver%2BAtlantic.JPG" width="320" /></a><span style="color: red; font-family: &quot;trebuchet ms&quot; , sans-serif;"><b>B is for Best time to sail.</b></span><br /><span style="color: red; font-family: &quot;trebuchet ms&quot; , sans-serif;">Today is the letter B and our title for the day is "Best time to sail" where we talk about the best times to sail on a cruise ship.</span><br /><span style="color: red; font-family: &quot;trebuchet ms&quot; , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="color: red; font-family: &quot;trebuchet ms&quot; , sans-serif;">Like much of the travel industry the prices fluctuate based on demand. If you are able to sail off season it will be much cheaper than during school vacation time. In the U.S/Canada the highest prices are during spring break and between late June and early August. It is a little cheaper during early June and mid August but the cheapest times are when the kids are in school. For example a 4 day cruise from Miami to Cozumel and Key West on the Carnival Victory is as low as $189 next January but around $400 during the height of summer. For Alaska cruises it is around $800 in May or September for a 7 day cruise but climbs to $1000-$1200 during June-August. If you are flexible with your dates you can save a lot of money.</span><br /><span style="color: red; font-family: &quot;trebuchet ms&quot; , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="color: red; font-family: &quot;trebuchet ms&quot; , sans-serif;"><b>Best time to book:</b></span><br /><span style="color: red; font-family: &quot;trebuchet ms&quot; , sans-serif;">It is best to book as far ahead as possible. If you see a deal you like go ahead and take advantage of it. Usually you only need a deposit to secure your cabin and you can pay the rest off closer to departure date. The cruise lines sometimes put out specials including on board credit or cabin upgrades for certain sailings so that is something you can take advantage of. Many people book between Jan-March so there is often a lot of sales then. If you find a better price for your cabin after booking you can ask the cruise line for the cheaper price so you aren't locked into the price like an airline ticket.</span><br /><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/--0tpNMSxwkg/Vv_GVo7ptQI/AAAAAAAADHs/Q08jXWKBWHEIuWzytKUei6YZXm-HQWn1g/s1600/124%2BGlory%2BSun%2BDeck%2Bat%2BDusk.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/--0tpNMSxwkg/Vv_GVo7ptQI/AAAAAAAADHs/Q08jXWKBWHEIuWzytKUei6YZXm-HQWn1g/s320/124%2BGlory%2BSun%2BDeck%2Bat%2BDusk.JPG" width="320" /></a><span style="color: red; font-family: &quot;trebuchet ms&quot; , sans-serif;"><br /></span><br /><span style="color: red; font-family: trebuchet ms, sans-serif;">The cruise lines like to sail full so there are occasions where they will put out some great deals close to sailing. If you have open availability and can get to the port easily this can also save you some money. Keep in mind getting airline tickets last minute can be expensive and could wipe out any savings you have on the cabin prices so this is probably best if you can drive to the port.</span><br /><span style="color: red; font-family: trebuchet ms, sans-serif;"><br /></span><b style="color: red; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', sans-serif;">To Book online or use a travel agent:</b><br /><span style="color: red; font-family: trebuchet ms, sans-serif;">A travel agent can be really useful if you don't know exactly what you want and can provide a lot of knowledge and experience about the ships and different cruise lines. If you need assistance in selecting a cruise it may be worth having them do the work for you and worth their fee.</span><br /><span style="color: red; font-family: trebuchet ms, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="color: red; font-family: trebuchet ms, sans-serif;">If you are fairly online savvy and are comfortable shopping around for deals then you can easily book online. We have booked online for all of our cruises and found it is just as easy as booking an airline ticket or hotel.&nbsp;</span><br /><span style="color: red; font-family: trebuchet ms, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="color: red; font-family: trebuchet ms, sans-serif;">We are taking a break tomorrow from the A-Z challenge but will be back to help discuss one of the most important aspects of your cruise vacation.</span><br /><span style="color: red; font-family: trebuchet ms, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="color: red; font-family: trebuchet ms, sans-serif;">When would be your preferred time to sail? Mine would be during the winter so I can escape the cold weather for a few days.</span><br /><span style="color: red; font-family: trebuchet ms, sans-serif;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3FY6ZC3nrdQ/T7lxRBX02SI/AAAAAAAAAAk/xySoGFmKb5E7o9P_WXDMP2h2D1RUAUbBg/s1600/Sean%2BSig%2Bfor%2BBlog.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3FY6ZC3nrdQ/T7lxRBX02SI/AAAAAAAAAAk/xySoGFmKb5E7o9P_WXDMP2h2D1RUAUbBg/s1600/Sean%2BSig%2Bfor%2BBlog.png" /></a></div><span style="color: red; font-family: trebuchet ms, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="color: red; font-family: trebuchet ms, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="color: red; font-family: trebuchet ms, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="color: red; font-family: &quot;trebuchet ms&quot; , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="color: red; font-family: &quot;trebuchet ms&quot; , sans-serif;"><br /></span>Sean @ His And Her Hobbieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02957976361757525524noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3467755462563450085.post-53934203666706054342016-04-01T04:50:00.000-07:002016-04-01T04:50:08.695-07:00A is for Airport or drive to the port<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.a-to-zchallenge.com/" target="_blank"><img alt="http://www.a-to-zchallenge.com/" border="0" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-J1OwQoQCCkI/VsOnlFObuFI/AAAAAAAAWaQ/z1AqzPtc9BE/s1600/A.jpg" /></a></div><br /><br /><span style="color: red; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">It's April so we are joining thousands of other bloggers and are participating in the A-Z challenge. For the A-Z challenge this year our theme is "the A-Z of cruising" where we will provide some hints and knowledge about cruising on the open&nbsp;</span><br /><span style="color: red; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">ocean.&nbsp;</span><br /><span style="color: red; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Gcs4S8x55XA/Vv5dsODCrLI/AAAAAAAADG4/HMMSuXRazw4AK7B_QrITGu7ArIedyMVWg/s1600/019%2BShip%2Bat%2BPort.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Gcs4S8x55XA/Vv5dsODCrLI/AAAAAAAADG4/HMMSuXRazw4AK7B_QrITGu7ArIedyMVWg/s320/019%2BShip%2Bat%2BPort.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><span style="color: red; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b>A is for Airport or drive to the port.</b></span><br /><span style="color: red; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Today is the letter A and our title for the day is "Airport or drive to the port" where we discuss the ways to get to the port and which option is best for you.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: red; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Once you book your cabin, one of the first to figure out is how you are getting to the ship. Unless you are lucky enough to live within walking distance of the port you will either fly to the city the port is located or drive to the port. Each has its pros and cons.</span><br /><span style="color: red; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-7zLLJVg1GpI/Vv5d6UC-QmI/AAAAAAAADG8/s1rQHA_5u0YRO9aoKNqFuaATaY48jHe4w/s1600/001%2BAA%2Bplane%2Bat%2BDallas.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-7zLLJVg1GpI/Vv5d6UC-QmI/AAAAAAAADG8/s1rQHA_5u0YRO9aoKNqFuaATaY48jHe4w/s320/001%2BAA%2Bplane%2Bat%2BDallas.JPG" width="320" /></a><span style="color: red; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">If you live a long distance away flying may be your best option as you can cover a lot of distance in a short time. Keep in mind though the ship will not wait so include extra time for flight delays. You can always fly in a day or two early and explore the city if you want, however the hotel industry knows when the cruise ships are coming and often raise their rates the night before and the day of arrival. A cheaper option for hotels maybe a hotel near the airport. This is not a bad option if there is a good public transportation system into the city. If you can fly non stop early in the morning of the day the ship leaves that could be an option as well. We have done that for each of our cruises.</span><br /><span style="color: red; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-u3RBXIs44Y8/Vv5e40Nx3JI/AAAAAAAADHM/hWtrjQ_yc3QpFbvVOZ8MiguxAfzm5dr2w/s1600/IMGP0400.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-u3RBXIs44Y8/Vv5e40Nx3JI/AAAAAAAADHM/hWtrjQ_yc3QpFbvVOZ8MiguxAfzm5dr2w/s320/IMGP0400.JPG" width="320" /></a><span style="color: red; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">If you choose to fly you will then need to find a way to the port. The ports are close to the airports in some cities however in others it is quite some distance. For example Orlando airport is a 45 drive from Port Canaveral where the cruise ships dock. The cruise lines offer transportation from the airport to the ship and costs about $25-40 per person. For 1-2 people it is about the same as a cab ride but for larger parties it will be cheaper to book your own transportation to the port. Uber and Lyft may be an economical choice as well.</span><br /><span style="color: red; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZLasLHLm5cI/Vv5eJwAsCUI/AAAAAAAADHA/3R63NPZtzA4jzTdN8oNaFxaC16Rf2YXJA/s1600/001%2BInterstate.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZLasLHLm5cI/Vv5eJwAsCUI/AAAAAAAADHA/3R63NPZtzA4jzTdN8oNaFxaC16Rf2YXJA/s320/001%2BInterstate.JPG" width="320" /></a><br /><span style="color: red; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">If you live fairly close to the port there is the option to drive. Most ports have large parking lots or garages for passengers to leave their cars. Rates vary per port but expect to pay between $15-30 per day. Some hotels will provide free parking for the duration of the cruise if you stay the night before. If you live within driving distance the parking rates may be cheaper than airline tickets plus you won't have to worry about how much duty free booze you can bring home.</span><br /><span style="color: red; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="color: red; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Which option is best really depends on your situation. Weigh up your options and see which option is best for you. If you have cruised before did you drive or fly to the port?</span><br /><span style="color: red; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3FY6ZC3nrdQ/T7lxRBX02SI/AAAAAAAAAAk/xySoGFmKb5E7o9P_WXDMP2h2D1RUAUbBg/s1600/Sean%2BSig%2Bfor%2BBlog.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3FY6ZC3nrdQ/T7lxRBX02SI/AAAAAAAAAAk/xySoGFmKb5E7o9P_WXDMP2h2D1RUAUbBg/s1600/Sean%2BSig%2Bfor%2BBlog.png" /></a></div><span style="color: red; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="color: red; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />Sean @ His And Her Hobbieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02957976361757525524noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3467755462563450085.post-48224240917419398052016-03-21T05:10:00.001-07:002016-03-21T05:10:32.497-07:00A-Z Challenge Theme Reveal<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-HmkNXK3oKZ4/Vu_jCXVBHXI/AAAAAAAADGc/65hyfCU3LBsgDsEqcadbnEUMSLdTHatRg/s1600/atoz-theme-reveal-2016%25252Bv2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-HmkNXK3oKZ4/Vu_jCXVBHXI/AAAAAAAADGc/65hyfCU3LBsgDsEqcadbnEUMSLdTHatRg/s1600/atoz-theme-reveal-2016%25252Bv2.jpg" /></a></div>This is our third year of participating in the A-Z challenge. The first year was random stuff and last year was our favourite destinations in Australia. This year we are going with another travel theme and is is the A-Z of cruising. It took a bit of work but we were able to come up with something for each letter. If you haven't cruised before this may answer a lot of your questions and if you have then it will hopefully still be some good reading.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-jfDtUgtDv_8/Vu_j3KGjihI/AAAAAAAADGo/OqHpw0nU4GsgkKF1tbW6AQa-v6g7979aA/s1600/19891319764_768f3a12b6_c.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-jfDtUgtDv_8/Vu_j3KGjihI/AAAAAAAADGo/OqHpw0nU4GsgkKF1tbW6AQa-v6g7979aA/s320/19891319764_768f3a12b6_c.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>So pack your bags and get ready for your vacation on the open seas.<br /><br />What is your theme for the A-Z challenge or where is your favourite place to vacation?<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3FY6ZC3nrdQ/T7lxRBX02SI/AAAAAAAAAAk/xySoGFmKb5E7o9P_WXDMP2h2D1RUAUbBg/s1600/Sean%2BSig%2Bfor%2BBlog.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3FY6ZC3nrdQ/T7lxRBX02SI/AAAAAAAAAAk/xySoGFmKb5E7o9P_WXDMP2h2D1RUAUbBg/s1600/Sean%2BSig%2Bfor%2BBlog.png" /></a></div><br />Sean @ His And Her Hobbieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02957976361757525524noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3467755462563450085.post-24051654712142590692015-11-09T03:00:00.000-08:002015-11-09T03:00:08.536-08:00Dinner prepared for the work week<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-QQQHSRvxiGQ/Vj_5jrRaxwI/AAAAAAAADGM/CbmWn6YGpbw/s1600/IMGP0102.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-QQQHSRvxiGQ/Vj_5jrRaxwI/AAAAAAAADGM/CbmWn6YGpbw/s320/IMGP0102.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;">Some of you may know that I do most of the cooking at our home. I was home first and had plenty of time to prepare dinner. I was lucky that I had a short commute to work and I got home early in the afternoon so I could relax a bit before tackling dinner. </span></span><br /><br /><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;">I recently started a new job that is has a longer commute than before. Most days it is close to an hour for me to get home. The last thing I want to do when I get home is spend 30-60 minutes preparing dinner. Amanda has a long commute and work day so it would be no different for her. So after a bit of thought I decided to try preparing all of the dinners on Sundays, so all we have to do on weeknights is pick the meal we want, heat it up and prepare a vegetable to go with it.</span></span><br /><br /><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;">&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; This is the second week that we have done this and it has worked out great. It takes a little planning and it takes about 2 hours to get all of the meals prepared, cooked and put away on Sunday. However we have enough food for all of our weeknight dinners and many of our lunches. I feel that I save at least a couple of hours a week and when we get home dinner really is a 5-10 minute job at most. I feel this is a great way to prepare great tasting meals and it is a great deterrent from us picking up take away after a long day. Who knows how much money we are saving by not eating out. If you are struggling to find time each day to prepare dinner maybe this is something to consider for your family.</span></span><br /><br /><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;">Have you ever cooked several meals ahead of time like this? </span></span><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3FY6ZC3nrdQ/T7lxRBX02SI/AAAAAAAAAAk/xySoGFmKb5E/s1600/Sean%2BSig%2Bfor%2BBlog.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3FY6ZC3nrdQ/T7lxRBX02SI/AAAAAAAAAAk/xySoGFmKb5E/s1600/Sean%2BSig%2Bfor%2BBlog.png" /></a></div><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;">&nbsp;</span></span>Sean @ His And Her Hobbieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02957976361757525524noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3467755462563450085.post-43816166149486929282015-09-26T04:23:00.001-07:002015-09-26T04:24:00.649-07:00Saturday Snapshots: Staten Island Ferry<span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;"><span style="color: blue;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Helvetica Neue&quot;, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: purple;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;"><span style="color: #38761d;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><i><a href="https://www.facebook.com/hisandherhobbiesblog?ref=hl">Have you liked our "His and Her Hobbies" Facebook page? If not, click here!</a></i></span></span></span></span></span></span> </span></span><br /><br /><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;">Today we are linking up with Melinda at <a href="http://westmetromommy.blogspot.com/2014/02/saturday-snapshot-march-1.html" target="_blank">West Metro Mommy</a> for Super Saturday Snapshots.</span></span><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-vrdJ--Q4OM4/UxprXbGOIrI/AAAAAAAAA5o/UYvQFyIc2OA/s1600/Saturday+Snapshots.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-vrdJ--Q4OM4/UxprXbGOIrI/AAAAAAAAA5o/UYvQFyIc2OA/s1600/Saturday+Snapshots.jpg" width="198" /></a> </div><br /><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;">When we went to New York City in July we decided to stay outside of the city in New Jersey. It was much cheaper ($80 per night compared to $200-600 per night in the city) so I felt the extra time spent travelling into the city would be worth it. The easiest way travelling into the city would have been using NJ transit which would have dropped us off at Penn Station but we found a more interesting way to get there.</span></span><br /><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rqk9_81lTaM/VgZ9PCfB5wI/AAAAAAAADFc/oZpmKG2fMn8/s1600/NYC%2B2015%2B%252839%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rqk9_81lTaM/VgZ9PCfB5wI/AAAAAAAADFc/oZpmKG2fMn8/s640/NYC%2B2015%2B%252839%2529.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;">The Staten Island ferry transports people between Staten Island and Manhattan. It runs 24 hours a day and the best part is that it is free. What better way to travel into the city than a nice ferry ride?</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-H9s8RgoaYLI/VgZ9doyMcBI/AAAAAAAADF4/U2nEx7LjJdk/s1600/IMG_2844.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-H9s8RgoaYLI/VgZ9doyMcBI/AAAAAAAADF4/U2nEx7LjJdk/s640/IMG_2844.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;">They also have parking nearby for $7 a day. Even with the $12 toll to get to Staten Island it was far cheaper than NJ transit or staying in Manhattan.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-kg3A3pNwV9Y/VgZ9OT50P3I/AAAAAAAADFY/sZhqqp3cnrg/s1600/NYC%2B2015%2B%2528294%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-kg3A3pNwV9Y/VgZ9OT50P3I/AAAAAAAADFY/sZhqqp3cnrg/s640/NYC%2B2015%2B%2528294%2529.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;">You also get a great view of the city skyline from Staten Island before your ferry ride.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-EU4CvnoeOsA/VgZ9PP6TEmI/AAAAAAAADFs/UXxhTBqb_XU/s1600/NYC%2B2015%2B%252843%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-EU4CvnoeOsA/VgZ9PP6TEmI/AAAAAAAADFs/UXxhTBqb_XU/s640/NYC%2B2015%2B%252843%2529.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;">A close up view of the Statue of Liberty is included along the way. So no need for an expensive boat tour.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xJu9JgrHTYk/VgZ9PnbeedI/AAAAAAAADFw/iD3RPupD5WY/s1600/NYC%2B2015%2B%252857%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xJu9JgrHTYk/VgZ9PnbeedI/AAAAAAAADFw/iD3RPupD5WY/s640/NYC%2B2015%2B%252857%2529.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;">About 20 minutes after departing Staten Island you arrive in Manhattan. The ferry station is close to several subway lines and a short walk from Wall Street, the Brooklyn Bridge, World Trade Center and several other attractions.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;">We loved using the Staten Island ferry to start and finish our day in New York and would definitely do this again on our next trip to New York. Have you ever ridden on the Staten Island Ferry?</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3FY6ZC3nrdQ/T7lxRBX02SI/AAAAAAAAAAk/xySoGFmKb5E/s1600/Sean%2BSig%2Bfor%2BBlog.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3FY6ZC3nrdQ/T7lxRBX02SI/AAAAAAAAAAk/xySoGFmKb5E/s1600/Sean%2BSig%2Bfor%2BBlog.png" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>Sean @ His And Her Hobbieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02957976361757525524noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3467755462563450085.post-84527409007114388922015-08-22T02:56:00.000-07:002015-08-22T02:56:18.048-07:00Saturday Snapshots: Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel<span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;"><span style="color: blue;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Helvetica Neue&quot;, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: purple;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;"><span style="color: #38761d;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><i><a href="https://www.facebook.com/hisandherhobbiesblog?ref=hl">Have you liked our "His and Her Hobbies" Facebook page? If not, click here!</a></i></span></span></span></span></span></span> </span></span><br /><br /><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;">Today we are linking up with Melinda at <a href="http://westmetromommy.blogspot.com/2014/02/saturday-snapshot-march-1.html" target="_blank">West Metro Mommy</a> for Super Saturday Snapshots.</span></span><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-vrdJ--Q4OM4/UxprXbGOIrI/AAAAAAAAA5o/UYvQFyIc2OA/s1600/Saturday+Snapshots.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-vrdJ--Q4OM4/UxprXbGOIrI/AAAAAAAAA5o/UYvQFyIc2OA/s1600/Saturday+Snapshots.jpg" width="198" /></a> </div><br /><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;">Last month we drove to New York for a few days and stopped at the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel along the way. </span></span><br /><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-e4emk9ST_L8/VdhE_x_K1ZI/AAAAAAAADEw/_MvUXSysr8s/s640/NYC%2B2015%2B%25281%2529.JPG" width="640" />&nbsp;</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;">&nbsp;Right before the first tunnel is a gift shop, restaurant and fishing pier. You can see Virginia Beach in the distance about 3 miles away.</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-OmDu01MsXig/VdhFAQaImyI/AAAAAAAADE8/2_MF05d11fE/s1600/NYC%2B2015%2B%25287%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-OmDu01MsXig/VdhFAQaImyI/AAAAAAAADE8/2_MF05d11fE/s640/NYC%2B2015%2B%25287%2529.JPG" width="640" /></a></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;">The fishing pier is always popular with anglers.</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6DS-FjmPZAM/VdhEwQBw4xI/AAAAAAAADEc/X3_338N9UIY/s1600/IMG_2810.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6DS-FjmPZAM/VdhEwQBw4xI/AAAAAAAADEc/X3_338N9UIY/s640/IMG_2810.JPG" width="640" /></a></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;">An information board about the bridge tunnel. The length of it is almost 18 miles.</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-s0i_rmJBlAc/VdhE-oGZzoI/AAAAAAAADEs/_QgzQ8swSFk/s1600/NYC%2B2015%2B%25286%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="404" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-s0i_rmJBlAc/VdhE-oGZzoI/AAAAAAAADEs/_QgzQ8swSFk/s640/NYC%2B2015%2B%25286%2529.JPG" width="640" /></a></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;">Shellie having her picture taken as a crab.</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-5ZQe2EMS6eg/VdhEvjJZPQI/AAAAAAAADEU/8mCOxS4AW2c/s1600/IMG_2823.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-5ZQe2EMS6eg/VdhEvjJZPQI/AAAAAAAADEU/8mCOxS4AW2c/s640/IMG_2823.JPG" width="640" /></a></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;">Shellie and Tim (my sister and her husband)</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-EQsBloRkwzU/VdhE-k17IUI/AAAAAAAADEo/2PQuafBekBY/s1600/NYC%2B2015%2B%25284%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-EQsBloRkwzU/VdhE-k17IUI/AAAAAAAADEo/2PQuafBekBY/s640/NYC%2B2015%2B%25284%2529.JPG" width="640" /></a></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;">This is the first of two channels. There is no land visible as the shore line is well over 10 miles away.</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;">Have you ever been on the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel or another long bridge?</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3FY6ZC3nrdQ/T7lxRBX02SI/AAAAAAAAAAk/xySoGFmKb5E/s1600/Sean%2BSig%2Bfor%2BBlog.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3FY6ZC3nrdQ/T7lxRBX02SI/AAAAAAAAAAk/xySoGFmKb5E/s1600/Sean%2BSig%2Bfor%2BBlog.png" /></a></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>Sean @ His And Her Hobbieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02957976361757525524noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3467755462563450085.post-60837893975418056362015-08-15T03:00:00.000-07:002015-08-15T04:04:19.850-07:00Saturday Snapshots - Freedom Tower<span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;"><span style="color: blue;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Helvetica Neue&quot;, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: purple;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;"><span style="color: #38761d;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><i><a href="https://www.facebook.com/hisandherhobbiesblog?ref=hl">Have you liked our "His and Her Hobbies" Facebook page? If not, click here!</a></i></span></span></span></span></span></span> </span></span><br /><br /><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;">Today we are linking up with Melinda at <a href="http://westmetromommy.blogspot.com/2014/02/saturday-snapshot-march-1.html" target="_blank">West Metro Mommy</a> for Super Saturday Snapshots.</span></span><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-vrdJ--Q4OM4/UxprXbGOIrI/AAAAAAAAA5o/UYvQFyIc2OA/s1600/Saturday+Snapshots.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-vrdJ--Q4OM4/UxprXbGOIrI/AAAAAAAAA5o/UYvQFyIc2OA/s1600/Saturday+Snapshots.jpg" width="198" /></a> </div><br /><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;">We took a trip to New York City with my sister and her husband a few weeks ago. Among many other things we got to see the completed World Trade Center building. It truly is a magnificent building and here are just a few photos that we took.</span></span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-F6mBjOxbTLs/Vc6WPGm3BiI/AAAAAAAADDs/2wkFEe9B1Vo/s1600/IMGP0314.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-2rDSrY9_TyE/Vc6WPpeQ8OI/AAAAAAAADD4/JEvEWZwIQ18/s1600/IMGP0324.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-2rDSrY9_TyE/Vc6WPpeQ8OI/AAAAAAAADD4/JEvEWZwIQ18/s640/IMGP0324.JPG" width="426" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;">The last time we were in NYC was 2011 and the tower was still under construction.</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5lSKMnweNKs/Vc6UnBHfWCI/AAAAAAAADDc/ITXwJ0uw5Y4/s1600/NYC%2B2015%2B%252854%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5lSKMnweNKs/Vc6UnBHfWCI/AAAAAAAADDc/ITXwJ0uw5Y4/s640/NYC%2B2015%2B%252854%2529.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;">The finished tower dominates the city skyline </span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1oeKQXCyBE4/Vc6UjfVJi5I/AAAAAAAADDQ/8mQUxc5Mni8/s1600/NYC%2B2015%2B%2528116%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1oeKQXCyBE4/Vc6UjfVJi5I/AAAAAAAADDQ/8mQUxc5Mni8/s640/NYC%2B2015%2B%2528116%2529.JPG" width="426" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;">Its so tall it is difficult to get the whole building in one shot.</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Ced3rab0vls/Vc6Uj84kwcI/AAAAAAAADDM/psujtZu21cM/s1600/NYC%2B2015%2B%2528135%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Ced3rab0vls/Vc6Uj84kwcI/AAAAAAAADDM/psujtZu21cM/s640/NYC%2B2015%2B%2528135%2529.JPG" width="426" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;">&nbsp;A close up of the building.</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;">What is the tallest building you have seen in person?</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3FY6ZC3nrdQ/T7lxRBX02SI/AAAAAAAAAAk/xySoGFmKb5E/s1600/Sean%2BSig%2Bfor%2BBlog.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3FY6ZC3nrdQ/T7lxRBX02SI/AAAAAAAAAAk/xySoGFmKb5E/s1600/Sean%2BSig%2Bfor%2BBlog.png" /></a></div><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>Sean @ His And Her Hobbieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02957976361757525524noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3467755462563450085.post-20497466130909064582015-08-01T06:43:00.000-07:002015-08-01T06:45:32.776-07:00Saturday Snapshots: Lap quilts for the Aussies<span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;"><span style="color: blue;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Helvetica Neue&quot;, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: purple;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;"><span style="color: #38761d;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><i><a href="https://www.facebook.com/hisandherhobbiesblog?ref=hl">Have you liked our "His and Her Hobbies" Facebook page? If not, click here!</a></i></span></span></span></span></span></span> </span></span><br /><br /><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;">Today we are linking up with Melinda at <a href="http://westmetromommy.blogspot.com/2014/02/saturday-snapshot-march-1.html" target="_blank">West Metro Mommy</a> for Super Saturday Snapshots.</span></span><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-vrdJ--Q4OM4/UxprXbGOIrI/AAAAAAAAA5o/UYvQFyIc2OA/s1600/Saturday+Snapshots.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-vrdJ--Q4OM4/UxprXbGOIrI/AAAAAAAAA5o/UYvQFyIc2OA/s1600/Saturday+Snapshots.jpg" width="198" /></a> </div><br /><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;">My sister and her husband have been visiting us in Virginia for the last two weeks. My sister and I decided to make a lap quilt for her husband. </span></span><br /><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-EqraL455tIE/VbzKJoc652I/AAAAAAAADBo/pRBNbr0Z9kY/s1600/IMGP0049.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-EqraL455tIE/VbzKJoc652I/AAAAAAAADBo/pRBNbr0Z9kY/s640/IMGP0049.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;">I cut out the squares and my sister sewed them together. Teamwork!</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-BNTNOzbUIXc/VbzKkOjZ2oI/AAAAAAAADBw/4KpsG4uc_nA/s1600/IMGP0054.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-BNTNOzbUIXc/VbzKkOjZ2oI/AAAAAAAADBw/4KpsG4uc_nA/s640/IMGP0054.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;">Tim chose the pattern that had beer glasses and beer related phrases. We paired it up with coloured blocks that matched.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_e2jDfJRUu0/VbzK-G1qf1I/AAAAAAAADB4/3WCScoPVEq8/s1600/IMGP0055.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_e2jDfJRUu0/VbzK-G1qf1I/AAAAAAAADB4/3WCScoPVEq8/s640/IMGP0055.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;">&nbsp;Tim chose the backing as well. It is a microfleece material. It was fairly easy to sew.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-d2Aqm_pgT9Q/VbzLV59zXHI/AAAAAAAADCA/lNOalxXNUhA/s1600/IMGP0042.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-d2Aqm_pgT9Q/VbzLV59zXHI/AAAAAAAADCA/lNOalxXNUhA/s640/IMGP0042.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;">Since we were working together we finished Tim's quilt fairly quickly so we went back to the fabric store to get material for a quilt for my sister Shellie.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ef0qRMDFDZ0/VbzLomJEbrI/AAAAAAAADCI/TlwTpAExkzU/s1600/IMGP0043.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ef0qRMDFDZ0/VbzLomJEbrI/AAAAAAAADCI/TlwTpAExkzU/s640/IMGP0043.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;">&nbsp;She loves Dachshunds so we found a Dachshund fabric and some bright colours to be the solid squares.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-eNuNde9l9eY/VbzL4LfKaVI/AAAAAAAADCQ/0Gp3FkcL5Ro/s1600/IMGP0047.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-eNuNde9l9eY/VbzL4LfKaVI/AAAAAAAADCQ/0Gp3FkcL5Ro/s640/IMGP0047.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;">The backing for this was a little harder to match but the nice lady at the fabric store found one for us.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-b2EQvWOj24Y/VbzMEsbHvUI/AAAAAAAADCY/6e4psYuNxeA/s1600/IMGP0058.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-b2EQvWOj24Y/VbzMEsbHvUI/AAAAAAAADCY/6e4psYuNxeA/s640/IMGP0058.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;">&nbsp;Tim and Shellie displaying their new quilts.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;">They are heading back to Australia today where it is winter so they should get plenty of use out of the quilts for the next month or two. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;">&nbsp;Do you have a favourite quilt for cold winter days?</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3FY6ZC3nrdQ/T7lxRBX02SI/AAAAAAAAAAk/xySoGFmKb5E/s1600/Sean%2BSig%2Bfor%2BBlog.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3FY6ZC3nrdQ/T7lxRBX02SI/AAAAAAAAAAk/xySoGFmKb5E/s1600/Sean%2BSig%2Bfor%2BBlog.png" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"></div>Sean @ His And Her Hobbieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02957976361757525524noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3467755462563450085.post-36613286556777231662015-07-18T04:51:00.001-07:002015-07-18T04:51:31.842-07:00Saturday Snaphots: Snow photos<span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;"><span style="color: blue;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Helvetica Neue&quot;, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: purple;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;"><span style="color: #38761d;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><i><a href="https://www.facebook.com/hisandherhobbiesblog?ref=hl">Have you liked our "His and Her Hobbies" Facebook page? If not, click here!</a></i></span></span></span></span></span></span> </span></span><br /><br /><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;">Today we are linking up with Melinda at <a href="http://westmetromommy.blogspot.com/2014/02/saturday-snapshot-march-1.html" target="_blank">West Metro Mommy</a> for Super Saturday Snapshots.</span></span><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-vrdJ--Q4OM4/UxprXbGOIrI/AAAAAAAAA5o/UYvQFyIc2OA/s1600/Saturday+Snapshots.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-vrdJ--Q4OM4/UxprXbGOIrI/AAAAAAAAA5o/UYvQFyIc2OA/s1600/Saturday+Snapshots.jpg" width="198" /></a> </div><br /><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;">A lot of my friends in Australia are getting some of the coldest weather they have had in a while and some of them are seeing the first snow in decades.</span></span><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;"> Since the snow is such a rarity there are tons of snow photos being shared on social media. I figured I would join in the fun and post some photos of the big snow storm we got a few years ago.&nbsp;</span></span><br /><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4jA1K3DBC9E/Vam4qKRpHfI/AAAAAAAADAQ/X-J5iJJ4h5U/s1600/IMGP0116.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4jA1K3DBC9E/Vam4qKRpHfI/AAAAAAAADAQ/X-J5iJJ4h5U/s640/IMGP0116.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;">Once we get this much snow we are pretty much housebound for a while.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-OFbAZ2aIk9o/Vam4qE-0FZI/AAAAAAAADAk/BcqmZpyV8JQ/s1600/IMGP0098.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-OFbAZ2aIk9o/Vam4qE-0FZI/AAAAAAAADAk/BcqmZpyV8JQ/s640/IMGP0098.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;">Alex is out exploring the snow.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-9Rjbp2Q26w0/Vam4qdwHbZI/AAAAAAAADAo/18eOxjj-jK4/s1600/IMGP0117.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-9Rjbp2Q26w0/Vam4qdwHbZI/AAAAAAAADAo/18eOxjj-jK4/s640/IMGP0117.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;">During this particular snowstorm we got 13 inches (33cm) of snow.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-vrgqDPc2Sxo/Vam4rcPj-rI/AAAAAAAADAs/0hVQ4JjkmYo/s1600/IMGP0123.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-vrgqDPc2Sxo/Vam4rcPj-rI/AAAAAAAADAs/0hVQ4JjkmYo/s640/IMGP0123.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;">I love the effect of the overhanging snow.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-GT60l1rdL7c/Vam4r9e5mvI/AAAAAAAADA0/89TX8blsabc/s1600/IMGP0127.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-GT60l1rdL7c/Vam4r9e5mvI/AAAAAAAADA0/89TX8blsabc/s640/IMGP0127.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;"><span style="color: red;">Its interesting how the snow sticks so uniformly even on an angled roof.</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-CPgKMFKWZRg/Vao9DhcnZiI/AAAAAAAADBM/HTkWNFF_nJ4/s1600/IMGP0135.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-CPgKMFKWZRg/Vao9DhcnZiI/AAAAAAAADBM/HTkWNFF_nJ4/s640/IMGP0135.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;"><span style="color: red;">&nbsp;The snow melting sometimes causes some pretty cool icicles like the ones on this house.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;"><span style="color: red;">Do you ever get snow where you live?</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3FY6ZC3nrdQ/T7lxRBX02SI/AAAAAAAAAAk/xySoGFmKb5E/s1600/Sean%2BSig%2Bfor%2BBlog.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3FY6ZC3nrdQ/T7lxRBX02SI/AAAAAAAAAAk/xySoGFmKb5E/s1600/Sean%2BSig%2Bfor%2BBlog.png" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"></div>Sean @ His And Her Hobbieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02957976361757525524noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3467755462563450085.post-79321230328821232092015-07-11T03:53:00.000-07:002015-07-11T08:42:17.848-07:00Saturday Snapshot - Lap Quilt<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;"><span style="color: blue;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Helvetica Neue&quot;, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: purple;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;"><span style="color: #38761d;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><i><a href="https://www.facebook.com/hisandherhobbiesblog?ref=hl">Have you liked our "His and Her Hobbies" Facebook page? If not, click here!</a></i></span></span></span></span></span></span> </span></span><br /><br /><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;">Today we are linking up with Melinda at <a href="http://westmetromommy.blogspot.com/2014/02/saturday-snapshot-march-1.html" target="_blank">West Metro Mommy</a> for Super Saturday Snapshots.</span></span><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-vrdJ--Q4OM4/UxprXbGOIrI/AAAAAAAAA5o/UYvQFyIc2OA/s1600/Saturday+Snapshots.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-vrdJ--Q4OM4/UxprXbGOIrI/AAAAAAAAA5o/UYvQFyIc2OA/s1600/Saturday+Snapshots.jpg" width="198" /></a> </div><br /><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;">Last week I posted a picture and asked if anyone could name which city the photo was taken in. <a href="http://hisandherhobbies.blogspot.com/2015/07/saturday-snapshots-old-glory.html" target="_blank">Click here</a> if you missed that post. A few of you guessed the correct answer which was Boston. </span></span><br /><br /><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;">Today I am sharing some photos of a&nbsp; lap quilt that I made for a friend of ours. I kept the design fairly simple but it turned out to be super bright and colourful as I used a ton of different colours and patterns.</span></span><br /><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;">&nbsp; </span></span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-SBsBheFsroc/VaBUTspNDDI/AAAAAAAAC_A/0WA215jqLJg/s1600/IMGP0359.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-SBsBheFsroc/VaBUTspNDDI/AAAAAAAAC_A/0WA215jqLJg/s640/IMGP0359.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;,sans-serif;">The quilt measures approx 58 inches by 52 inches (147cm x 132cm)</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-T_jnx1vgEaM/VaBUWVloGAI/AAAAAAAAC_g/7pqra7ot9VU/s1600/IMGP0365.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-T_jnx1vgEaM/VaBUWVloGAI/AAAAAAAAC_g/7pqra7ot9VU/s640/IMGP0365.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;,sans-serif;">The back of the quilt is an orange checkerboard fabric. I kept the quilting simple but it looks nice.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-tqKzcHYhOhM/VaBUebsoq-I/AAAAAAAAC_8/pZZO1YyWfgM/s1600/IMGP0373.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-tqKzcHYhOhM/VaBUebsoq-I/AAAAAAAAC_8/pZZO1YyWfgM/s640/IMGP0373.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;,sans-serif;">There is a total of 56 blocks on the quilt.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-yyizD4d2XLE/VaBUW4VPdNI/AAAAAAAAC_k/VQ_XAIfdKt0/s1600/IMGP0372.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-yyizD4d2XLE/VaBUW4VPdNI/AAAAAAAAC_k/VQ_XAIfdKt0/s640/IMGP0372.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;,sans-serif;">There are 27 different prints in the quilt. All but one of the patterns were scrap pieces from other projects.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-2v6BnOcX8eI/VaBUU3b1TuI/AAAAAAAAC_Q/mzor1c_2R7U/s1600/IMGP0371.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-2v6BnOcX8eI/VaBUU3b1TuI/AAAAAAAAC_Q/mzor1c_2R7U/s640/IMGP0371.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;,sans-serif;">&nbsp;Each print appears once in the center of a block and once as the border of a solid color block.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3fVoVUQI5cY/VaBUV0Dt19I/AAAAAAAAC_Y/zlwNc68XtVc/s1600/IMGP0370.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3fVoVUQI5cY/VaBUV0Dt19I/AAAAAAAAC_Y/zlwNc68XtVc/s640/IMGP0370.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;,sans-serif;">I used a variety of solid colours for the binding. I really liked the effect that the different colours give the edge of the quilt.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-R7pIgZTa8sQ/VaBUYrdrAUI/AAAAAAAAC_0/jZC7Vw2fSoA/s1600/IMGP0375.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-R7pIgZTa8sQ/VaBUYrdrAUI/AAAAAAAAC_0/jZC7Vw2fSoA/s640/IMGP0375.JPG" width="426" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;"><span style="color: red;">Give it a quick test run before it got shipped off to our friend.</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;"><span style="color: red;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;"><span style="color: red;">&nbsp;Which of the fabric patterns on the quilt is your favourite?</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;"><span style="color: red;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3FY6ZC3nrdQ/T7lxRBX02SI/AAAAAAAAAAk/xySoGFmKb5E/s1600/Sean%2BSig%2Bfor%2BBlog.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3FY6ZC3nrdQ/T7lxRBX02SI/AAAAAAAAAAk/xySoGFmKb5E/s1600/Sean%2BSig%2Bfor%2BBlog.png" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>Sean @ His And Her Hobbieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02957976361757525524noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3467755462563450085.post-50344342019921211872015-07-06T09:50:00.000-07:002015-07-06T09:50:13.721-07:00His and Her June 2015 More and Less Review<span style="color: purple;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;">On June 1, we blogged about things we wanted to do More and Less of in June. I said I would come back on the 30th and give an update, but...well, to be honest, I forgot. Oops!</span></span><br /><br /><span style="color: purple;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;">I'm here now though, so let's recap our goals for June (<a href="http://hisandherhobbies.blogspot.com/2015/06/his-and-her-more-and-less-june-2015.html">you can see the entire original post here</a>) and how we did:</span></span><br /><br /><span style="color: purple;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;">Amanda's More and Less for the month of June:</span></span><br /><span style="color: purple;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;">More - Knitting!</span></span><br /><span style="color: purple;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;">&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; <span style="color: magenta;">I did great with this goal. Since school ended I have done a lot of knitting. I finished a pair of socks and started another. I finished one and a half squares of my Sherlock afghan. It's been a great summer of knitting so far.</span> </span></span><br /><br /><span style="color: purple;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;">More - Devotions!&nbsp;</span></span><br /><span style="color: purple;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;">&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; <span style="color: magenta;">I have been doing a devotion in the morning with Proverbs 31 Ministries and at night with She Reads Truth. I am loving both!</span> </span></span><br /><br /><span style="color: purple;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;">Less - Complaining!&nbsp;</span></span><br /><span style="color: purple;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;">&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; <span style="color: magenta;">I've been complaining a lot less this month. I'm not at zero complaints so that is my next goal.</span> </span></span><br /><br /><span style="color: purple;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;">Less - Procrastinating!</span></span><br /><span style="color: purple;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;">&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; <span style="color: magenta;">Nope! I am still a procrastinator. Sean's sister and brother-in-law will be here next week and we have not cleaned any rooms yet. We have got to get going on this.</span> </span></span><br /><br /><br /><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;">Sean's More and Less for the month of June:</span></span></span><br /><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;">More - Running!</span></span></span><br /><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;">&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; <span style="color: orange;">It has been so hot and we have been so busy that I have not run in a while. Something I want to do more of soon.</span> </span></span></span><br /><br /><span style="color: purple;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;">More -&nbsp; Biking!&nbsp;</span></span></span></span><br /><span style="color: purple;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;">&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; <span style="color: orange;">See above - no biking this month either. Too much heat and not enough time.</span>&nbsp;</span></span> </span></span><br /><br /><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;,sans-serif;">Less - Snacking!</span></span><br /><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;,sans-serif;">&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; <span style="color: orange;">This I have been good with. I eat some ice cream at night as a snack but other than that, no snacks. :)</span> </span></span><br /><br /><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;,sans-serif;">Less - Procrastinating!&nbsp;</span></span><br /><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;,sans-serif;">&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; <span style="color: orange;">As Amanda said, we have not cleaned before my sister gets here and the yard definitely needs some attention. We both have some work to do with this one.</span> </span></span><br /><br /><br /><span style="color: purple;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;">Check back tomorrow to see what goals we are setting for ourselves in July.</span></span><br /><br /><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;,sans-serif;"><span style="color: purple;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;">Happy June,</span></span></span></span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-I4AuymmgbDk/T7kt56S8R-I/AAAAAAAAAKk/jCHuIsUHoCE/s1600/Amanda%2527s%2BSignature.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-I4AuymmgbDk/T7kt56S8R-I/AAAAAAAAAKk/jCHuIsUHoCE/s1600/Amanda%2527s%2BSignature.png" /></a></div>Amanda Ironmongerhttps://plus.google.com/105180898490828929549noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3467755462563450085.post-72325954825462939872015-07-04T02:41:00.000-07:002015-07-04T02:41:02.657-07:00Saturday Snapshots: Old Glory<span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;"><span style="color: blue;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Helvetica Neue&quot;, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: purple;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;"><span style="color: #38761d;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><i><a href="https://www.facebook.com/hisandherhobbiesblog?ref=hl">Have you liked our "His and Her Hobbies" Facebook page? If not, click here!</a></i></span></span></span></span></span></span> </span></span><br /><br /><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;">Today we are linking up with Melinda at <a href="http://westmetromommy.blogspot.com/2014/02/saturday-snapshot-march-1.html" target="_blank">West Metro Mommy</a> for Super Saturday Snapshots.</span></span><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-vrdJ--Q4OM4/UxprXbGOIrI/AAAAAAAAA5o/UYvQFyIc2OA/s1600/Saturday+Snapshots.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-vrdJ--Q4OM4/UxprXbGOIrI/AAAAAAAAA5o/UYvQFyIc2OA/s1600/Saturday+Snapshots.jpg" width="198" /></a> </div><br /><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;,sans-serif;">Happy Independence day to all of our American friends. Today's photo is one of my favourites of the American Flag.&nbsp;</span></span><br /><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-FtfluRv8kR4/VZep0YdZNgI/AAAAAAAAC-o/FwuR2iTaXZs/s1600/IMGP0121.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-FtfluRv8kR4/VZep0YdZNgI/AAAAAAAAC-o/FwuR2iTaXZs/s640/IMGP0121.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;,sans-serif;">Can anyone guess where this photo was taken? What are you doing to celebrate July 4th?</span></span><br /><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3FY6ZC3nrdQ/T7lxRBX02SI/AAAAAAAAAAk/xySoGFmKb5E/s1600/Sean%2BSig%2Bfor%2BBlog.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3FY6ZC3nrdQ/T7lxRBX02SI/AAAAAAAAAAk/xySoGFmKb5E/s1600/Sean%2BSig%2Bfor%2BBlog.png" /></a></div><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>Sean @ His And Her Hobbieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02957976361757525524noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3467755462563450085.post-10494999713027186012015-06-24T04:00:00.000-07:002015-06-24T04:00:00.432-07:00Her School Year 14-15 Reflections<span style="color: purple;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;">Summer is in full swing - I have gotten into a good rhythm with my days of leisure (as Sean calls them). Last week I blogged about my goals for summer vacation; <a href="http://hisandherhobbies.blogspot.com/2015/06/her-summer-bucket-list-2015.html">you can read them here</a>. This week I am going to reflect on the 2014-2015 school year - focusing on what I would like to do differently next year. Thank you <a href="http://mrsdscorner.blogspot.com/2015/06/reflect-and-refresh-part-1-refresh.html">Mrs. D at Mrs. D's Corner</a> for hosting this cool linkup.&nbsp;</span></span><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-AcrCBh-H6lg/VYRFHHjfIQI/AAAAAAAAB4o/q2OCg651gAk/s1600/Reflection%2B14-15.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-AcrCBh-H6lg/VYRFHHjfIQI/AAAAAAAAB4o/q2OCg651gAk/s1600/Reflection%2B14-15.jpg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Helvetica Neue&quot;,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Communication:</span></span><br /><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Helvetica Neue&quot;,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I had a class website that I LOVED, but my school system took down the server that it was run through so I had to go hunting for another site. I used Google Sites for a while, but wasn't a fan. It was a little boring and a little blah. Later this summer I am going to a training on Weebly, so my fingers are crossed that will be my new website.&nbsp; </span></span><br /><br /><span style="color: #3d85c6;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;,sans-serif;">Organization:</span></span><br /><span style="color: #3d85c6;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;,sans-serif;">We got a brand new building last year and unpacked in August when we went back to school. It became a fast and furious race to get ready and some things did not get done. For example, my filing cabinet. Everything is in it but it isn't very well organized. I want to go in one day this summer and get that done. It will be such a relief.</span></span><br /><span style="color: #3d85c6;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;,sans-serif;">I also need to organize my desk. Again, in August, stuff got thrown into it and it worked for the year, but I want it to be more organized this coming year.</span></span><br /><span style="color: #3d85c6;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;,sans-serif;">My Guided Reading table was new to me - as was Guided Reading. I have a plan for organizing that spot in my room and the materials I need while there. It's going to be great!</span></span><br /><br /><span style="color: #6aa84f;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Content:</span></span><br /><span style="color: lime;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #6aa84f;">I talked about this last week with my summer goals, but I only really have one big thing that I want to do this summer in regards to content and that is change up my English homework. For a few years now I have been doing weekly journal assignments with the essay prompts that Virginia has put out. Then I found a TPT product that is amazing for context clues. Then I discovered that my students need more work with analogies. So the plan is to combine all three into a weekly homework assignment that includes a journal, a page of context clues practice, and an analogy. It will be so much easier if I can get it done over the summer, rather than scrambling during the school year.</span></span></span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: &quot;Courier New&quot;,Courier,monospace;"><span style="color: #a64d79;">My Big Summer Project:</span></span><br /><span style="font-family: &quot;Courier New&quot;,Courier,monospace;"><span style="color: #a64d79;">I kinda love that my big summer project is not school related. My friends and I are knitting an afghan together with about 40 other women and men, run through our favorite local yarn store. Each month the square is connected to a Sherlock Holmes story. We knit the square and read the story on our own. Then we come together to discuss the knitting and the story. It's like a knitting book club. I'm loving it! May's square was really hard so I fell behind, but I am rapidly catching up with all this summer knitting time I have. My goal is to be finished with May, June, July, and August's squares by the time I go back to school. </span></span><br /><br /><br /><span style="color: purple;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;">Do you have any changes or adjustments that you want to make for next school year? I would love to hear about them so I can possibly <strike>steal</strike> borrow those ideas. ;)</span></span><br /><br /><span style="color: purple;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;">Happy Reflecting,</span></span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-I4AuymmgbDk/T7kt56S8R-I/AAAAAAAAAKk/jCHuIsUHoCE/s1600/Amanda%2527s%2BSignature.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-I4AuymmgbDk/T7kt56S8R-I/AAAAAAAAAKk/jCHuIsUHoCE/s1600/Amanda%2527s%2BSignature.png" /></a></div>Amanda Ironmongerhttps://plus.google.com/105180898490828929549noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3467755462563450085.post-68768459119259572702015-06-18T08:10:00.000-07:002015-06-18T08:10:08.172-07:00Her TBT: Apple Picking<span style="color: purple;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;"><a href="http://teachersdesk6.blogspot.com/2014/07/throwback-thursday-memories.html">Angela at The Teacher's Desk 6</a> is hosting a Throwback Thursday linky party. The rules are simple - choose a previous blog post and re-post it.&nbsp;</span></span><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: purple;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;"><a href="http://teachersdesk6.blogspot.com/2014/07/throwback-thursday-memories.html"><img alt="http://teachersdesk6.blogspot.com/2014/07/throwback-thursday-memories.html" border="0" height="150" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-l3hJ-CwJoC8/U3ederenylI/AAAAAAAADtM/pyRmGnoh4qg/s200/Throwback+Tursday+button.png" width="200" /></a> </span></span></div><br /><span style="color: purple;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;">Usually I choose a post of Sean's to share as our TBT post, but today I am sharing one of mine. Fall is my favorite season - it's absolutely no contest with the others. I love the crisp weather, the changing leaves, and the holidays (Halloween and Thanksgiving). Summer is great because of my time away from school, but it is my least favorite season because of the heat. What better way to beat the heat then to reminisce about a fall activity and dream of cooler weather. Enjoy!</span></span><br /><span style="color: #674ea7;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;,sans-serif;">&nbsp;</span></span><br /><span style="color: #674ea7;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;,sans-serif;">-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- </span></span><br /><br /><span style="color: #674ea7;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;,sans-serif;">Two years ago, Sean and I were visiting friends in the mountains of Virginia and I decided I wanted to go apple picking. I had never done this before and thought it sounded like fun. We searched and talked to our friends and we chose Carter Mountain Orchard in Charlottesville, which is almost next door to Monticello (Thomas Jefferson's house). We went and had a blast so I decided that this fall we had to go back and pick more apples!&nbsp;</span></span><br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_pKSrjoSFN0/UH3qWTSZ3CI/AAAAAAAAAik/myNTfXdGoko/s1600/IMGP0052.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_pKSrjoSFN0/UH3qWTSZ3CI/AAAAAAAAAik/myNTfXdGoko/s320/IMGP0052.JPG" width="320" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-lstQt9EfKMs/UH3qbbDwS8I/AAAAAAAAAi0/JLmNbQKVDT8/s1600/IMGP0057.JPG" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-lstQt9EfKMs/UH3qbbDwS8I/AAAAAAAAAi0/JLmNbQKVDT8/s320/IMGP0057.JPG" width="320" /></a><span style="color: #674ea7;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;,sans-serif;">When we arrived, it was bumper to bumper traffic climbing the hill/driveway. I could not get over how many people were there.&nbsp;</span></span><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><span style="color: #674ea7;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;,sans-serif;">Kristin, my good friend, and I love Fuji apples and that was one of the options to pick this past weekend. We were both excited but to get to the Fuji apples you had to climb up a mountain with three switchbacks. We grabbed our bags and off we climbed.</span></span><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-BSH1-JuSOsU/UH3qc8TnBqI/AAAAAAAAAi8/nn8CHuSqfCk/s1600/IMGP0059.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-BSH1-JuSOsU/UH3qc8TnBqI/AAAAAAAAAi8/nn8CHuSqfCk/s320/IMGP0059.JPG" width="320" /></a><span style="color: #674ea7;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><span style="color: #674ea7;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;,sans-serif;">Picking apples is not a super fun and exciting event. But it is fun to walk down the row of trees, try to spot the perfect apple, then pick that "just right" one to take home. I love it! Our friends loved it too I think.</span></span><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-gzguyBRfw-Q/UH3qgOpB1bI/AAAAAAAAAjI/tK01fbYWNA4/s1600/IMGP0061.JPG" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-gzguyBRfw-Q/UH3qgOpB1bI/AAAAAAAAAjI/tK01fbYWNA4/s320/IMGP0061.JPG" width="320" /></a><span style="color: #674ea7;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><span style="color: #674ea7;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;,sans-serif;">Sean and I ended up with 12 beautiful (and tasty!) Fuji apples. We also stopped by the store on the way out and got some apple butter for me and my parents. I love apple butter and there is just something wonderful and apple butter that is made with three ingredients - apple, water, and spices. Yum yum!!</span></span><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Q32ih6Ih8EA/UH3qhtrj0uI/AAAAAAAAAjQ/sCy-mUpPD8E/s1600/IMGP0074.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Q32ih6Ih8EA/UH3qhtrj0uI/AAAAAAAAAjQ/sCy-mUpPD8E/s320/IMGP0074.JPG" width="320" /></a><span style="color: #674ea7;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><span style="color: #674ea7;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;,sans-serif;">I am almost sad now that we are not going back to the mountains before apple picking season is over. I would so go again later this month when Pink Ladies are available at the orchard. Oh well, I guess I can wait until next year!</span></span><br /><br /><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-bD9UMXK42Ng/UH3qjAlAkcI/AAAAAAAAAjY/UvcKi0JlBLY/s1600/IMGP0097.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-bD9UMXK42Ng/UH3qjAlAkcI/AAAAAAAAAjY/UvcKi0JlBLY/s400/IMGP0097.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is one of my favorite photos of us ever! :)</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span style="color: #674ea7;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span><br />-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------<br /><br /><br /><span style="color: purple;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;">This summer weather is way too hot for me, but when that fall breeze picks up again, I will be back at the apple orchard picking apples. Something to dream about during these hot summer months.</span></span><br /><br /><span style="color: purple;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;,sans-serif;">Happy Thursday,</span></span><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-I4AuymmgbDk/T7kt56S8R-I/AAAAAAAAAKk/jCHuIsUHoCE/s1600/Amanda%2527s+Signature.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-I4AuymmgbDk/T7kt56S8R-I/AAAAAAAAAKk/jCHuIsUHoCE/s1600/Amanda%2527s+Signature.png" /></a></div><span style="color: #674ea7;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>Amanda Ironmongerhttps://plus.google.com/105180898490828929549noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3467755462563450085.post-43777696642418033272015-06-17T04:00:00.000-07:002015-06-17T21:28:44.611-07:00Her Summer Bucket List 2015<span style="color: purple;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;">It's summer-summertime! I love, love, love not having a set schedule, not having to set an alarm in the morning, not having to grade papers, and not being so stressed all the time. I am so excited about summer!</span></span><br><br><span style="color: purple;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;">Natalie&nbsp;<a href="http://whattheteacherwants.blogspot.com/2015/06/summer-bucket-list-linky.html">at What the Teacher Wants</a> is hosting a Summer Bucket List linky party. I always set goals for myself over the summer and this seemed like the perfect way to do it this year.</span></span><br><div style="text-align: center;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: purple;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Mo1OS-RlbDA/VYBcP2_xryI/AAAAAAAAB4M/RdToyeI0Ltg/s1600/SummerBucketList2015.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Mo1OS-RlbDA/VYBcP2_xryI/AAAAAAAAB4M/RdToyeI0Ltg/s640/SummerBucketList2015.jpg" width="480"></a></span></span></div><br><br><span style="color: purple;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;">School:</span></span><br><span style="color: blue;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;">I was introduced to the book "Learn Like a Pirate" by Paul Solarz through the <a href="http://www.rundesroom.com/">Runde's Room</a> blog. A bunch of teacher bloggers are doing a book study this summer and I am joining in. I can't wait to get started!</span></span><br><span style="color: #38761d;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;">I had an epiphany at the end of the year about how I wanted to run my English homework throughout the 2015-2016 school year. I think it is going to be so much better! I will blog about it once I am done.</span></span><br><span style="color: orange;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;">I give my students the option of extra credit each month, but it needs to be reworked. I want to tackle that over the summer because the school year is so crazy. I have good intentions, but not enough time.</span></span><br><br><span style="color: purple;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;">Personal:</span></span><br><span style="color: blue;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;">I always set a workout goal for myself and I don't always meet it. This year I am using my Wii to help me meet my goal. I'm going to alternate between Wii Zumba and EA Sports 30 Day Challenge.&nbsp;</span></span><br><span style="color: #38761d;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;">With the working out, I want to track all of my food in MyFitnessPal. I horribly underestimate calories when I do it on my own. MFP really helps me keep things in perspective.</span></span><br><span style="color: orange;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;">I have been seriously slacking with my personal reading. I used to read 70 books a year. Now I am reading about 20. Crazy! I am hoping to read 5 books over the summer and I have them all chosen. I will blog about them later this summer.</span></span><br><span style="color: purple;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;"><span style="color: magenta;">There are so many WIPs (Work in Progresses) in my knitting world. I am ready for some things to come off the needles. My goal is to finish at least 3 WIPs and make some progress on my Sherlock Afghan. Lofty goals, but I am hopeful.</span> </span></span><br><br><span style="color: purple;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;">Fun:</span></span><br><span style="color: blue;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;">Shellie and Tim will be here in exactly four weeks. I am about to jump out of my skin I am so excited - I won't, because that's gross, but I am so ready for them to be here! We are planning a week in New York City and Washington, DC. We are also going to do the tourist thing around home. So ready!!!</span></span><br><br><span style="color: purple;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;">Pretty big goals for the summer, but I think I can do it. I will revisit them in August to let you know how I did. </span></span><br><br><span style="color: purple;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;">What are your plans for the summer?&nbsp;</span></span><br><br><span style="color: purple;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;">Happy Summer,</span></span><br><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-I4AuymmgbDk/T7kt56S8R-I/AAAAAAAAAKk/jCHuIsUHoCE/s1600/Amanda%2527s%2BSignature.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-I4AuymmgbDk/T7kt56S8R-I/AAAAAAAAAKk/jCHuIsUHoCE/s1600/Amanda%2527s%2BSignature.png"></a></div>Amanda Ironmongerhttps://plus.google.com/105180898490828929549noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3467755462563450085.post-16572648892549727652015-06-15T09:16:00.000-07:002015-06-15T09:16:24.743-07:00Her What Works: The iHeart Radio App<span style="color: purple;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;">Each Monday I share something that is working for me. It could be health related, a new product, or something completely random that I am loving. I just want to share what I have found that is working for me and will, hopefully, work for you too.</span></span><br /><br /><span style="color: purple;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;">Sean made a cute button for it ---&nbsp;</span></span><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-d41P4Z5gZa4/VVjYD8bYeqI/AAAAAAAAC6E/wUKicv_c5ZM/s1600/What%2BWorks%2BMonday%2BButton.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="259" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-d41P4Z5gZa4/VVjYD8bYeqI/AAAAAAAAC6E/wUKicv_c5ZM/s320/What%2BWorks%2BMonday%2BButton.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><span style="color: purple;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;">Want to share in this idea with us? Grab the button, link back to our blog, and share away. I think this would be a pretty cool linkup, full of ways of making life easier, more fun, more enjoyable, more...whatever! :)</span></span><br /><br /><span style="color: purple;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;">A few years ago I was all about the Pandora Radio app. I loved using it to listen to music on my phone and iPad. Then I heard about a different radio app - iHeart Radio! It is so much better. Let me tell you how ---</span></span><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: purple;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;"></span></span></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-PBEgbdPb2Do/VX7yb9s8qPI/AAAAAAAAB3k/8RnRL4ViXDU/s1600/IMG_2291.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-PBEgbdPb2Do/VX7yb9s8qPI/AAAAAAAAB3k/8RnRL4ViXDU/s320/IMG_2291.PNG" width="180" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Let's get our music on! ;)</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="color: purple;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;">When you open the app,&nbsp; it shows a screen of channels you have listened to before if you are a returning listener. You can listen to radio channels from all over the country or channels that are specific music genres, artists, or time periods. I have found some great channels just by browsing the app.</span></span><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-jdVRr_liEfc/VX7yb4X9XLI/AAAAAAAAB34/YM3_mKh8jJ8/s1600/IMG_2292.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-jdVRr_liEfc/VX7yb4X9XLI/AAAAAAAAB34/YM3_mKh8jJ8/s320/IMG_2292.PNG" width="180" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">They all look good to me! :)</td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: purple;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;">My absolute favorite thing about this app and the reason that I deleted Pandora and won't go back, is the "Perfect for" feature of iHeart Radio. All throughout the day, they have different Perfect for options. This morning, this is what I saw.</span></span></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-VuejT1L_lbI/VX7yb6gXJPI/AAAAAAAAB3w/meIl1S0ib3A/s1600/IMG_2293.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-VuejT1L_lbI/VX7yb6gXJPI/AAAAAAAAB3w/meIl1S0ib3A/s320/IMG_2293.PNG" width="180" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I almost picked Road Trip just to see what would come up. Looked fun!</td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: purple;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;">The Kids channels are fun - I've listened to them while playing with my niece. The Working Out channels are upbeat and motivating. My favorite channel that I cannot get enough of and listen to every time I open the app I found because I opened the app one morning and found a "Perfect for Getting Ready" station called Singing in the Shower. It is music from all genres, all time periods, that are fun and impossible to not sing along to.</span></span><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-GZSDuDzUFe0/VX7ycbvFy9I/AAAAAAAAB38/56Wxls7lgkU/s1600/IMG_2294.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-GZSDuDzUFe0/VX7ycbvFy9I/AAAAAAAAB38/56Wxls7lgkU/s320/IMG_2294.PNG" width="180" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;">You can "like" and "dislike" songs to help the app learn your tastes. After using it for a few months, I rarely have to hit dislike anymore.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><br /><span style="color: purple;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;">Are you an iHeart Radio listener? What channels are your favorite? If you haven't tried this app yet, I think you should. I bet you will find something you love!</span></span></span><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody></tbody></table><!-- start InLinkz script --> <script type="text/javascript">document.write('<scr' + 'ipt type="text/javascript" src="//www.inlinkz.com/cs.php?id=536219&' + new Date().getTime() + '"><\/script>'); </script> <!-- end InLinkz script --> <br /><span style="color: purple;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;"><br /></span></span><span style="color: purple;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;"><br /></span></span><span style="color: purple;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;">Happy Monday,&nbsp;</span></span></span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-I4AuymmgbDk/T7kt56S8R-I/AAAAAAAAAKk/jCHuIsUHoCE/s1600/Amanda%2527s%2BSignature.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-I4AuymmgbDk/T7kt56S8R-I/AAAAAAAAAKk/jCHuIsUHoCE/s1600/Amanda%2527s%2BSignature.png" /></a></div>Amanda Ironmongerhttps://plus.google.com/105180898490828929549noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3467755462563450085.post-42385186821265991242015-06-11T04:00:00.000-07:002015-06-11T04:00:03.192-07:00His and Her TBT: Vulcan Masaya<span style="color: purple;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;"><a href="http://teachersdesk6.blogspot.com/2014/07/throwback-thursday-memories.html">Angela at The Teacher's Desk 6</a> is hosting a Throwback Thursday linky party. The rules are simple - choose a previous blog post and re-post it.&nbsp;</span></span><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: purple;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;"><a href="http://teachersdesk6.blogspot.com/2014/07/throwback-thursday-memories.html"><img alt="http://teachersdesk6.blogspot.com/2014/07/throwback-thursday-memories.html" border="0" height="150" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-l3hJ-CwJoC8/U3ederenylI/AAAAAAAADtM/pyRmGnoh4qg/s200/Throwback+Tursday+button.png" width="200" /></a> </span></span></div><span style="color: purple;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;">For a while, we did Travel Reviews every Monday on the blog. We loved sharing our travels with you guys. This one was posted in February of 2014, originally, and is a favorite memory for both Sean and I. Enjoy this active volcano and photos of a much younger Sean and Amanda. hehe</span></span><br /><span style="color: purple;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;">------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------</span></span><br /><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-iVvrC7HmKB0/UwoqF8XCe3I/AAAAAAAAAyg/lUpfOvQe96k/s1600/242+Volcano+sign.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="291" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-iVvrC7HmKB0/UwoqF8XCe3I/AAAAAAAAAyg/lUpfOvQe96k/s1600/242+Volcano+sign.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Welcome to the Masaya Volcano.</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;"><span style="color: red;">We were sitting in church one Sunday morning, back in 2003, when they announced that there was an informational meeting for anyone interested in going on a mission trip to Nicaragua after the service. I paid it no attention, but I was taken to the meeting as Amanda had a big interest in going. </span></span><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;">After listening to the information that was given to us, we talked about it and we decided to go. I had no clue where Nicaragua was and originally thought it was in Africa but then found out it was in central America between Costa Rica and Honduras.</span></span><br /><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rE7I1e_E8Ek/UwospuHC2KI/AAAAAAAAAys/Py5fvEHJebs/s1600/244+LAVA+ROCK+ON+HILL.JPG" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rE7I1e_E8Ek/UwospuHC2KI/AAAAAAAAAys/Py5fvEHJebs/s1600/244+LAVA+ROCK+ON+HILL.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Old lava rock on the outside of the volcano cone. &nbsp; </td></tr></tbody></table><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;">We had a great time at the camp where we helped with painting, construction, a basic medical clinic and bible school for the local children. One of the highlights of the trip happened the day before we flew back to the United States; we toured the capital city, Managua, and visited an active volcano. Neither of us had ever seen an active volcano and were looking forward to the experience. </span></span><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;">I had always wanted to visit a volcano, but was always worried that it would be too dangerous. We figured this is probably as safe as you can get, as it had been a long time since its last eruption. </span></span>After a 4 hour bus ride we saw the sign for the national park and the bus started the long climb to the top.</span></span><br /><br /><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;">We were told about the history of the volcano and that, although it was an active volcano, it had not erupted in over a century. </span></span><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-OY6eGjJsupM/Uwot390aK2I/AAAAAAAAAy4/dXcPFpnfGdE/s1600/247+volcano+crater.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-OY6eGjJsupM/Uwot390aK2I/AAAAAAAAAy4/dXcPFpnfGdE/s1600/247+volcano+crater.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Steam rising from the crater of the volcano.</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;">There was no guarantee of seeing lava but it was visible on occasion. Once we got to the top of the volcano, we had some free time to view the crater and we were given evacuation instructions in case the volcano decided to erupt or the sulphur levels got too high. We both went over to the crater to see if we could see any lava and although there was plenty of smoke (with a lovely sulphur smell as well) there was no lava visible. It was obvious that it was still very active due to the amount of smoke rising from the crater. After a while we all climbed onto the bus and then headed down to the city for our tour. It was a great experience and was a great way<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sKXAsuSXkAM/UwowzkeRzmI/AAAAAAAAAzE/CehBJpJ9niY/s1600/248+volcano+crater.jpg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sKXAsuSXkAM/UwowzkeRzmI/AAAAAAAAAzE/CehBJpJ9niY/s1600/248+volcano+crater.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Crater of the volcano<span style="color: red;">.</span></td></tr></tbody></table>to see just how powerful nature can be. I would love to see another volcano one day and hopefully one that has some lava to complete the experience. If you ever get a chance to see an active volcano I highly recommend it.</span></span><br /><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;"><span style="color: purple;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;">Our first summer mission trip to Nicaragua was an incredible, eye-opening, and heart-changing experience. We are so grateful for that opportunity. Being able to tour some of the sights of Nicaragua was a beautiful bonus. Masaya looked in the distance like a mountain, but as we climbed we could see the hardened lava rock and we could see the smoke pluming from the crater. Standing on the edge, looking down at the smokey center, and thinking about the last time it erupted when thousands died was an awe-inspiring experience. We did not see lava, but we smelled the sulfur. Not having volcanoes anywhere near home, made this a unique experience for both of us. It is, hands-down, one of the coolest things we have been able to visit on our excursions. Here are some more photos - they do not do it justice!</span></span> </span></span><br /><br /><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FX2Km1Ho9w8/UwoxF0NYWEI/AAAAAAAAAzM/p6wohuDlyGQ/s1600/250+volcano+crater.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FX2Km1Ho9w8/UwoxF0NYWEI/AAAAAAAAAzM/p6wohuDlyGQ/s1600/250+volcano+crater.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Crater of the volcano</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-eem2vEfj00M/UwoxXkGC4RI/AAAAAAAAAzw/EnugLtWEhXE/s1600/255+SEAN+AND+AMANDA+AT+VOLCANO.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-eem2vEfj00M/UwoxXkGC4RI/AAAAAAAAAzw/EnugLtWEhXE/s1600/255+SEAN+AND+AMANDA+AT+VOLCANO.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Amanda and I with the crater behind us. Don't we look young?</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-FNBtnl5DycM/UwoxXVJ0vvI/AAAAAAAAAzo/LnWIbtVs7T0/s1600/252+CROSS.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-FNBtnl5DycM/UwoxXVJ0vvI/AAAAAAAAAzo/LnWIbtVs7T0/s1600/252+CROSS.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Top of the volcano (There is a large cross at the top that is barely visible in this photo)</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-SNZbVSYaW4A/UwoxXJ9WtKI/AAAAAAAAAzk/xvDXNLbwThg/s1600/253+group+in+parking+lot.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-SNZbVSYaW4A/UwoxXJ9WtKI/AAAAAAAAAzk/xvDXNLbwThg/s1600/253+group+in+parking+lot.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tourists looking at the crater of the volcano</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-OY6eGjJsupM/Uwot390aK2I/AAAAAAAAAy8/2jAG5_jEGSg/s1600/247+volcano+crater.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-8AlyrxzVIoI/UwoxX_Rit5I/AAAAAAAAAz0/CBII8oNaitw/s1600/258+Group+at+volcano.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-8AlyrxzVIoI/UwoxX_Rit5I/AAAAAAAAAz0/CBII8oNaitw/s1600/258+Group+at+volcano.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Group photo at the volcano.</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-iVJNgh2opFE/UwoxZABgqTI/AAAAAAAAA0A/pEZB8c1nYpY/s1600/259+Picture.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-iVJNgh2opFE/UwoxZABgqTI/AAAAAAAAA0A/pEZB8c1nYpY/s1600/259+Picture.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Painting of the volcano erupting in the volcano museum.</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><span style="color: blue;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Helvetica Neue&quot;, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Have you ever visited an active volcano? Share that story with us in the comments or on Facebook.</span></span><br /><br /><span style="color: blue;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Helvetica Neue&quot;, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: purple;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;">-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------</span></span></span></span><br /><br /><span style="color: blue;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Helvetica Neue&quot;, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: purple;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;">Our Nicaragua trips were life-changing for both of us. We consider ourselves blessed to have been able to take those trips.&nbsp;</span></span></span></span><br /><br /><span style="color: blue;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Helvetica Neue&quot;, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: purple;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;">Happy Thursday,</span></span></span></span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-I4AuymmgbDk/T7kt56S8R-I/AAAAAAAAAKk/jCHuIsUHoCE/s1600/Amanda%2527s%2BSignature.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-I4AuymmgbDk/T7kt56S8R-I/AAAAAAAAAKk/jCHuIsUHoCE/s1600/Amanda%2527s%2BSignature.png" /></a></div>Amanda Ironmongerhttps://plus.google.com/105180898490828929549noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3467755462563450085.post-30033905677966468732015-06-10T04:00:00.000-07:002015-06-10T04:00:09.276-07:00Her Learn Like a Pirate Book Study<span style="color: purple;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;">I follow several bloggers who are doing a book study on the book <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/098821766X/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?ie=UTF8&amp;psc=1&amp;smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER">Learn Like a Pirate by Paul Solarz</a>. I have been intrigued about this book and his other, Teach Like a Pirate. I ordered the book this past weekend and cannot wait to get started.</span></span><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: purple;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;"><img border="0" height="258" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-iCTYPi6CEY8/VWNPEDWrb4I/AAAAAAAACq0/Xda6voLoS9k/s640/1.%2BWhat%2Bis%2Ba%2BStudent-Led%2BClassroom%253F.png" width="640" /> </span></span></div><br /><span style="color: purple;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;">I understand the importance of collaborative groups in both Civics and English class, but I will admit that I am a complete Type-A/OCD personality in the classroom. It's hard to relinquish that control and turn the learning over to the students - despite the fact that I know for authentic learning to occur, that is exactly what I need to do.</span></span><br /><br /><span style="color: purple;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;">I am loving the idea of this book study and this book. I can't wait for the book to get here so I can get started. Want to join? Head to Amazon for your copy and <a href="http://www.theprimarygal.com/2015/06/learn-like-pirate-what-is-student-led.html">The Primary Gal's blog</a> to link up.</span></span><br /><br /><span style="color: purple;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;">What are your initial thoughts about this book and the idea behind it?</span></span><br /><br /><span style="color: purple;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;">Happy Reading and Learning,</span></span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-I4AuymmgbDk/T7kt56S8R-I/AAAAAAAAAKk/jCHuIsUHoCE/s1600/Amanda%2527s%2BSignature.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-I4AuymmgbDk/T7kt56S8R-I/AAAAAAAAAKk/jCHuIsUHoCE/s1600/Amanda%2527s%2BSignature.png" /></a></div>Amanda Ironmongerhttps://plus.google.com/105180898490828929549noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3467755462563450085.post-10100073582375852282015-06-09T03:00:00.000-07:002015-06-09T03:00:06.495-07:00His: Living in America - Confusion in the Cereal Aisle<span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;, sans-serif;">On my first visit to a supermarket in America I was a little surprised to see that we had many of the</span></span> <span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;,sans-serif;"><span style="color: red;">same breakfast cereals. What I wasn't prepared for was even though they looked the same and had the same mascots they had totally different names. Below are some of the more well known ones that have different names.</span></span><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-xuUO0C9619g/VXYwdlQ53VI/AAAAAAAAC9g/v7S0Z_RGyLg/s1600/Rice%2BBubbles.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="278" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-xuUO0C9619g/VXYwdlQ53VI/AAAAAAAAC9g/v7S0Z_RGyLg/s400/Rice%2BBubbles.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;,sans-serif;"><span style="color: red;">&nbsp;<b>Rice Bubbles / Rice Krispies</b></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;,sans-serif;"><span style="color: red;">Snap, Crackle and Pop adorn the front of the box in both countries. In Australia they are known as Rice Bubbles and in America they are called Rice Krispies.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;,sans-serif;"><span style="color: red;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-4UjHaxkzVNU/VXYwg_JAS0I/AAAAAAAAC90/zEoFiqcVttY/s1600/Coco%2BPops.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="291" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-4UjHaxkzVNU/VXYwg_JAS0I/AAAAAAAAC90/zEoFiqcVttY/s400/Coco%2BPops.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;,sans-serif;"><span style="color: red;"><b>Coco Pops / Cocoa Krispies</b></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;,sans-serif;"><span style="color: red;">In Australia the chocolate coated version of the rice cereal is known as Coco Pops and has a monkey as the mascot. In Americathey are called Cocoa Krispies and have Snap, Crackle and Pop as the mascots.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;,sans-serif;"><span style="color: red;"><b> </b></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-nmw6dvOBHdw/VXYwgnx-N_I/AAAAAAAAC98/uEk9MSRU9zQ/s1600/Frosties.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="287" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-nmw6dvOBHdw/VXYwgnx-N_I/AAAAAAAAC98/uEk9MSRU9zQ/s400/Frosties.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;,sans-serif;"><span style="color: red;"><b> Frosties / Frosted Flakes</b></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;,sans-serif;"><span style="color: red;">Tony the Tiger has been the mascot for both countries for decades. In Australia they are known as Frosties, probably because we love making names shorter. In America they are called Frosted Flakes.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;,sans-serif;"><span style="color: red;"><b> </b></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-0EgksDzcD3E/VXYwhCEg6kI/AAAAAAAAC-E/BRYKJQqLwrs/s1600/Sultana%2BBran.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="273" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-0EgksDzcD3E/VXYwhCEg6kI/AAAAAAAAC-E/BRYKJQqLwrs/s400/Sultana%2BBran.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;,sans-serif;"><span style="color: red;"><b> Sultana Bran / Raisin Bran</b></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;,sans-serif;"><span style="color: red;">The dried fruit that goes into this cereal are known as sultanas in Australia and raisins in America. This is why the cereals are known by different names in the two countries.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-z6uvlnZIk6s/VXYwg7DFLwI/AAAAAAAAC-A/AZZV9YkqnhU/s1600/Nutri%2BGrain.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="251" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-z6uvlnZIk6s/VXYwg7DFLwI/AAAAAAAAC-A/AZZV9YkqnhU/s400/Nutri%2BGrain.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;,sans-serif;"><span style="color: red;"><b> Nutri Grain Cereal / Nutri Grain Bars.</b></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;,sans-serif;"><span style="color: red;">Nutri Grain is a popular cereal in Australia but is not found in America. In America the Nutri Grain name is also owned by Kelloggs but is used to market cereal bars and not a breakfast cereal. The cereal in Australia tastes vaguely like Honey Nut Cheerios.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;,sans-serif;"><span style="color: red;"><b> </b></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;,sans-serif;"><span style="color: red;">I may be missing others but these are the ones that came to mind. Which names do you like better?&nbsp; What is your favourite breakfast cereal?&nbsp;</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;,sans-serif;"><span style="color: red;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3FY6ZC3nrdQ/T7lxRBX02SI/AAAAAAAAAAk/xySoGFmKb5E/s1600/Sean%2BSig%2Bfor%2BBlog.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3FY6ZC3nrdQ/T7lxRBX02SI/AAAAAAAAAAk/xySoGFmKb5E/s1600/Sean%2BSig%2Bfor%2BBlog.png" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;,sans-serif;"><span style="color: red;"><br /></span></span></div><br />Sean @ His And Her Hobbieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02957976361757525524noreply@blogger.com4